Petrol stop
Problem
Roberto drove a total distance of 250 km.
The whole journey took him 3 hours, including a 20 minute stop to get petrol.
Before he stopped for petrol, his average speed was 80 km per hour.
After his petrol stop, his average speed was 100 km per hour.
How long did Roberto drive for after his petrol stop?
This problem is adapted from the World Mathematics Championships
Student Solutions
Answer: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Using a distance-time graph
Gradient represents speed so gradients are $80$ and $100$
So vertical distances are $80T_1$ and $100T_2$
time: $T_{1}+T_{2}=3$ hours$-20$ minutes $=2\frac23$ hours
distance: $80T_{1}+100T_{2}=250\Rightarrow 8T_1+10T_2=25$
$T_1+T_2 = 2\frac23$ $\times8$ gives $8T_1+8T_2=16\tfrac{16}3=21\frac13$
Subtracting, $$\begin{align}(8T_1+10T_2) - (8T_1+8T_2)&=25 - 21\tfrac13\\
2T_2&=3\tfrac23=\tfrac{11}3\\
T_2&=\tfrac{11}6\end{align}$$ $\frac{11}6$ hours $=1$ hour and $50$ minutes.
Using a speed-time graph
time: $T_{1}+T_{2}=3$ hours$-20$ minutes $=2\frac23$ hours
Distance on a speed-time graph is given by the area under the graph, so: $$\begin{align} 80T_{1}+100T_{2}&=250\\
\Rightarrow 80(T_1+T_2) + 20T_2&=250\\
\Rightarrow 80\times 2\tfrac23+20T_2&=250\\
\Rightarrow 8\times \tfrac83 + 2T_2 &=25\\
\Rightarrow 2T_2&= \tfrac{75}3-\tfrac{64}3\\
\Rightarrow T_2 &= \tfrac{11}6\end{align}$$ $\frac{11}6$ hours $=1$ hour and $50$ minutes.
Using the speed-distance-time relationship
Distance = speed $\times$ time
Distance travelled before the petrol stop is $80\times T_{1}$
Distance travelled after the petrol stop is $100\times T_{2}$
Total distance is $250$ km so $80T_{1}+100T_{2}=250$.
Total time is $3$ hours. $20$ minutes $=\frac13$ hour, so $T_{1}+T_{2}=2\frac23$.
$T_{1}+T_{2}=2\frac23\Rightarrow T_1 = \frac83 - T_2$
Substitute into other equation: $$\begin{align} 80 \left(\tfrac83 - T_2\right) +100T_2 &= 250\\
\Rightarrow \tfrac {64}3 -8T_2 +10T_2 &=25\\
\Rightarrow \tfrac{64}3 + 2T_2&=\tfrac{75}3\\
\Rightarrow T_2&=\tfrac{11}{6}\end{align}$$ $\frac{11}6$ hours $=1$ hour and $50$ minutes.