Math Is Fun Forum

Anonymous_8035

Guest

Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

There are two cars driving toward each other at a speed of 5 miles per hour. When they are 15 miles apart, one car releases a bird that flies 30 miles per hour that instantaneously switches direction upon meeting a car, until the cars reach each other. How many miles will the bird fly?

Anonymous_8035

Novice

Registered: 2023-03-28

Posts: 2

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

Just created an actual account. I was a bit confused on this problem, so I tried using ratios but had a lot of confusing fractions, while the multiple choices were all whole numbers.

Jai Ganesh

Administrator

Registered: 2005-06-28

Posts: 48,825

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

Hi,

Welcome to the forum!

I am a bit in a hurry,  you well get help soon.

However, these links can be immensely helpful.

Speed and Velocity

Metric Speed

US Standard Speed

Speed

Hope these are helpful!

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It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

Phrzby Phil

Member

From: Richmond, VA

Registered: 2022-03-29

Posts: 57

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

This should get you started.
I assume you mean each car's speed is 5m/h.  To simplify your thinking, it is as if one is stationary and the other's speed is 10m/h.
Distance is 15 miles, so total time till collision is 1.5 hours.
Bird flies at 30m/h for 1.5 hours.
You should be able to finish the problem now.

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World Peace Thru Frisbee

Anonymous_8035

Novice

Registered: 2023-03-28

Posts: 2

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

This should get you started.
I assume you mean each car's speed is 5m/h.  To simplify your thinking, it is as if one is stationary and the other's speed is 10m/h.
Distance is 15 miles, so total time till collision is 1.5 hours.
Bird flies at 30m/h for 1.5 hours.
You should be able to finish the problem now.

I see the problem now

I was trying to find the distance the bird moves to the car each time and add them up. Thank you for clearing up this confusion!

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 10,640

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

You can do it that way but you have to sum up two infinite series.  It's messy and Phil's method is quite neat.

Bob

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Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

Phrzby Phil

Member

From: Richmond, VA

Registered: 2022-03-29

Posts: 57

Re: Math Problem: A Bird and Two Cars

As a math student - I suggest you do it the "messy" way also.  Since you know the answer from the "easy" way - you'll know if you got it right.  One more technique learned.

(Disclosure - Of course, as a FORMER math student and teacher/tutor, I have no intention of doing that myself.  I presume I can, and that's good enough for me!  I'm going out to play Frisbee.)

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World Peace Thru Frisbee