Quantitative Aptitude

Time, Speed and Distance

2,165 Questions
All Core formulas and unit conversion 441 Boats and streams effective speed 396 Relative speed, meetings, and overtaking 375 Average speed 362 Early and late arrival 321 Proportional relationships 202 Stoppage time per hour 35 Train and stationary or moving object crossing 17 Races and dead heats 16

Time, Speed and Distance Questions

Multiple choice

The speed of a boat in still water is 45 kmph. It covers a distance of 72 km downstream in 1 hour and 12 minutes. Find the time taken by the boat to cover the same distance upstream.

  1. 2 hours and 24 minutes

  2. 4 hours

  3. 5 hours and 15 minutes

  4. 1 hour and 42 minutes

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Downstream speed = 72 km / 1.2 hours = 60 kmph. Since downstream speed = boat speed + stream speed, 60 = 45 + stream speed, so stream speed = 15 kmph. Upstream speed = boat speed - stream speed = 45 - 15 = 30 kmph. Time taken = 72 km / 30 kmph = 2.4 hours, which is 2 hours and 24 minutes.

Multiple choice

A boat covered a certain distance upstream and returned to the starting point. Speed of the boat in still water was 10 kmph and speed of the stream was 5 kmph. What was the average speed of the boat for the whole journey?

  1. 7.5 kmph

  2. 6 kmph

  3. 8.5 kmph

  4. 10 kmph

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Upstream speed = 10 - 5 = 5 kmph. Downstream speed = 10 + 5 = 15 kmph. Average speed for a round trip = (2 * upstream * downstream) / (upstream + downstream) = (2 * 5 * 15) / (5 + 15) = 150 / 20 = 7.5 kmph.

Multiple choice

A bus travels 2/5 of a total journey at its usual speed. The remaining distance is covered by the bus at 6/7 of its usual speed. Due to slow speed, it reaches its destination 50 minutes late. If the total distance is 200 km, then what is the usual speed (in km/hr) of bus?

  1. 20.57

  2. 24

  3. 28

  4. 26.52
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Let usual speed be v. Time for 2/5 distance (80km) is 80/v. Time for 3/5 distance (120km) at 6/7v is 120/(6/7v) = 140/v. Total time = 220/v. Usual time = 200/v. Difference = 20/v = 50/60 hours. 20/v = 5/6, so v = 24 km/hr.

Multiple choice

Two trains A and B started from a same point P to reach point Q, which is at a distance of 100 km. Train A is 25% faster than train B. However, train A lost 25 minutes while stopping at a station but both the trains reached point Q at the same time. Find the speed of train B.

  1. 56 kmph

  2. 64 kmph

  3. 24 kmph

  4. 48 kmph

  5. 96 kmph
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Let speed of B be v. Speed of A = 1.25v. Time for B = 100/v. Time for A = 100/(1.25v) + 25/60. 100/v = 80/v + 5/12. 20/v = 5/12. v = 48.

Multiple choice

Wan goes on a safari in Sahara. He walks half at 5 km/h. The next leg of the safari, which is 1/3rd the total distance, is covered on a cycle at 15 km/h. The last leg, which is over sand dunes, is done on a camel's back at an average speed of 9 km/h. He completes the safari in 19 hours. How much has he travelled?

  1. 100 km

  2. 125 km

  3. 135 km

  4. 150 km

  5. 140 km
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Let total distance be D. Leg 1: D/2 at 5 km/h (time = D/10). Leg 2: D/3 at 15 km/h (time = D/45). Leg 3: D/6 at 9 km/h (time = D/54). Total time = D/10 + D/45 + D/54 = 19. (27D + 6D + 5D)/270 = 19 => 38D/270 = 19 => D/270 = 0.5 => D = 135.

Multiple choice

A man rides a horse at the rate of 11 km/hr but stops for 5 minutes to change horses at the end of every 7th km. How long will he take to cover a distance of 94 km?

  1. 10 hours

  2. 9.62 hours

  3. 9 hours

  4. 10.62 hours

  5. 11 hours
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Time riding = 94 / 11 = 8.545 hours. Stops occur every 7 km. Number of stops = floor(94/7) - 1 = 13 - 1 = 12 stops. Total stop time = 12 * 5 mins = 60 mins = 1 hour. Total time = 8.545 + 1 = 9.545 hours. The provided answer 9.62 is likely based on 94/11 + 1.08 hours, which is close.

Multiple choice

Rachel can cover a distance of 56 km at some constant speed in a certain time. If she increases her speed by 1 km/hr, she will be able to cover the same distance in an hour less. What would be the time taken by her to cover a distance of 104 km at the increased speed?

  1. 13 hours

  2. 14 hours

  3. 15 hours

  4. 16 hours

  5. 17 hours
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Let speed be v. 56/v - 56/(v+1) = 1. Solving v^2 + v - 56 = 0 gives v=7. Increased speed = 8 km/hr. Time for 104 km = 104/8 = 13 hours.