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

A train, travelling at 20 km/hr is approaching a platform. A bird is sitting on a pole on the platform. When the train is at a distance of 2 km from the pole, brakes are applied which produce a uniform deceleration in it. At that instant the bird flies towards the train at 60 km/hr and after touching the nearest point on the train flies back to the pole and then flies towards the train and continues repeating itself. Calculate how much distance will the bird have flown before the train stops?

  1. 12 km

  2. 10 km

  3. 14 km

  4. 20 km

  5. 24 km
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Applying the equation v2 - u2 = 2*a*S 02 - (20)2 = 2*a*2 -400 = 4*a a = -100 km/ hr -2v = u + a*t 0 = 20 - 100*t t = 0.2 Distance travelled by the bird = 0.2 * 60 = 12 km (Answer)

Multiple choice

In a naval exercise, two ships travel towards each other on a straight line beginning 90 nautical miles apart. One ship travels at 40 knots and the other travels at 50 knots. The exercise consists of a boat travelling to and fro between the ships transporting men and materials according to a set clockwork precise plan. The boat starts its voyage having been launched from the faster ship, and it sails at a speed of 70 knots. As soon as it reaches the destination ship, all three vessels come to a stop immediately. When the boat has done its job, all 3 vessels again start moving at the same speed. The boat leaves the slower ship, turns around and sails back at the same speed. When it reaches the faster ship again, the process is repeated and so on and so forth till the time the two ships meet each other. The boat consumes 0.5 barrels of fuel per nautical mile travelled either way. How many barrels of fuel are consumed by the boat?

  1. 5

  2. 20

  3. 25

  4. 35

  5. 40
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Time taken by the 2 mother ships to meet each other =  90/ (50 + 40) = 1 hour Distance travelled by the shuttle boat in this 1 hour = 70 nautical miles Fuel consumed by this boat = 0.5 x 70 barrels = 35 barrels

Multiple choice

A boat running downstream covers a distance of 20 km in 2 hours, while it takes the boat 4 hours to cover the same distance while going upstream. What is the speed of the boat in still water?

  1. 5 kmph

  2. 15 kmph

  3. 2.5 kmph

  4. 7.5 kmph

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

Speed while going downstream = (20/2) kmph = 10 kmph Speed while going upstream = (20/4) kmph = 5 kmph So, the speed of the boat in still water = (10 + 5)/2 = 7.5 kmph Hence, this option is correct.

Multiple choice

A boy walking at the speed of 15 km/hr reaches his school 18 minutes late. Next time, he walks at the speed of 20 km/hr and reaches his school 10 minutes late. Find the distance between his school and his house?

  1. 8/7 km

  2. 8 km

  3. 6 km

  4. 10 km

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

Difference between time = 18 - 10 = 8 min

= 8/60 hr

= 2/15 hr

Required distance = ((Speed1 * Speed2)/(Speed1 - Speed2)) * difference of time

Required distance = ((15 * 20)/(20 - 15)) * (2/15)

                          = (15 * 20 * 2)/(5 * 15) = 8 km

It is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Deepali has to travel a distance of 300 km. She walked for 2 hours at speed of 60.2 km/hr and the next 3 hours at 35.3 km/hr. How much distance does she still need to walk to complete the whole journey?

  1. 74.1 km

  2. 73.1 km

  3. 74.7 km

  4. 73.7 km

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

Total distance to be covered = 300 km Total distance covered in 2 hours = (60.2 x 2) km = 120.4 km Total distance covered in next 3 hours = (35.3 x 3) km = 105.9 km Total distance covered in 5 hours = (120.4 + 105.9) km = 226.3 km Remaining distance to be covered = (300 - 226.3) km = 73.7 km

Multiple choice

One-fourth of a certain journey is covered at the speed of 25 km/hr and the rest is covered at 50 km/hr. Find the average speed for the whole journey.

  1. 35

  2. 45

  3. 55

  4. 40

  5. 28
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Suppose, the total distance is x km. So, one-fourth of the distance is covered in x/100 hours. Rest of the distance is covered in 3x/200 hours. So, avearge speed = total distance/total time = x/(5x/200), i.e. 40. So, the average speed is 40 km/hr. Therefore, option 4 is correct.

Multiple choice

Amar travels a distance of 60 km in 4 hours and Aman travels a distance of 50 km in 5 hours. What is the difference in the travelling speeds of Amar and Aman (in km per hour)?

  1. 5 km per hour

  2. 10 km per hour

  3. 6 km per hour

  4. 15 km per hour

  5. 12 km per hour
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

It is 5 km per hour. Speed = Distance/Time Hence, the travelling speed of Amar = 60/4 = 15 km per hour Travelling speed of Aman = 50/5 = 10 km per hour Hence, the difference in travelling speeds of Amar and Aman = 15 - 10 = 5 km per hour Option 1 is correct.