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

Cyclist A started his journey on cycle at 7.30 a.m. at a speed of 8 km/hr. After 30 minutes, cyclist B started from the same place but with a speed of 10 km/hr. At what time did B overtake A?

  1. 8 a.m.

  2. 10 a.m.

  3. 9 a.m.

  4. 9.30 a.m.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A starts at 7:30, B at 8:00. In 30 mins, A travels 4 km. Relative speed = 10 - 8 = 2 km/hr. Time to overtake = Distance / Relative Speed = 4 / 2 = 2 hours after B starts. 8:00 + 2 hours = 10:00 a.m.

Multiple choice

If Anita walked a certain distance at 13 km/hr instead of 10 km/hr, she would walk 30 km more. The actual distance travelled by her is:

  1. 100 km

  2. 50 km

  3. 60 km

  4. 25 km
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Let distance be D. Time at 10 km/hr is D/10, time at 13 km/hr is D/13. Given D/10 - D/13 = 30/60 (assuming 30 km more implies time difference, but the text says 'walk 30 km more' which is ambiguous). If it means distance difference at same time, it is unsolvable. If it means time difference is 30 mins, D/10 - D/13 = 0.5 => 3D/130 = 0.5 => D = 65/3 = 21.6. If it means she walks 30 km more in the same time, 13t - 10t = 30 => 3t = 30 => t = 10 hrs. Distance = 10 * 10 = 100 km.

Multiple choice

Arun went boating in a river. Speed of Arun in still water is 7 km/hr and the river is running at a rate of 4 km/hr. The total time taken by him to go to a certain place and come back is 28 hours. What is the total distance travelled by him?

  1. 127 km

  2. 66 km

  3. 132 km

  4. 124 km

  5. 150 km
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Downstream speed = 7 + 4 = 11 km/hr. Upstream speed = 7 - 4 = 3 km/hr. Let distance be D. Total time = D/11 + D/3 = 28. (3D + 11D) / 33 = 28. 14D / 33 = 28. D = 66. Total distance (round trip) = 66 * 2 = 132 km.

Multiple choice

A car travelled 75% of the distance from town A to town B at an average speed of 50 mph. The car travelled at the average speed of S mph for remaining part of the journey. The average speed for the entire journey was 40 mph. Find the value of S.

  1. 10

  2. 20

  3. 25

  4. 30
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Let total distance be D. Time 1 = (0.75D) / 50 = 0.015D. Time 2 = (0.25D) / S. Total time = D / 40 = 0.025D. 0.015D + 0.25D/S = 0.025D. 0.25/S = 0.01. S = 0.25 / 0.01 = 25.

Multiple choice

Sound produced at a point is heard by a person after 5 seconds, while the same sound is heard by another person after 6 seconds. If the speed of sound is 300 m/s, what could be the maximum and minimum distance between the two persons?

  1. 1.8 km, 0.15 km

  2. 2.2 km, 0.20 km

  3. 2.8 km, 0.25 km

  4. 3.3 km, 0.30 km
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Let the source be at distance d1 and d2 from the two persons. d1 = 300 * 5 = 1500 m. d2 = 300 * 6 = 1800 m. The maximum distance occurs when the persons are on opposite sides of the source: 1500 + 1800 = 3300 m = 3.3 km. The minimum distance occurs when they are on the same side: 1800 - 1500 = 300 m = 0.3 km.

Multiple choice

Directions: The following question has two statements, (1) and (2). Answer the question using the following instructions: What was John's average driving speed in miles per hour during a 15-minute time interval? (1) He drove 10 miles during this interval. (2) His top speed was 50 miles per hour and his lowest speed was 35 miles per hour during this interval.

  1. Statement (1) alone is sufficient but statement (2) alone is not

  2. Statement (2) alone is sufficient but statement (1) alone is not

  3. Both (1) and (2) together are sufficient but neither of them alone is sufficient

  4. Both independently are sufficient

  5. Both statements (1) and (2) together are not sufficient
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Average speed is total distance divided by total time. Statement (1) gives distance (10 miles) and time (15 minutes = 0.25 hours), so speed = 10 / 0.25 = 40 mph. Statement (2) provides speed bounds but not the actual distance or time, so it is insufficient.