Question

Shawn and Keenan got in trouble at football practice and have to run laps as a consequence.

Shawn, who runs at a rate of 3 laps per minute, had completed 10 laps already when he was

joined on the track by Keenan. Keenan's pace is 4 laps per minute. At some point, the two

will have run the same distance. How long will that take?

Answer 1

Answer: Let's start by using the formula:

distance = rate x time

Let's assume that it takes t minutes for Keenan to catch up to Shawn. Then, in that time, Shawn will have run:

distance = rate x time

distance = 3 laps/minute x t minutes

distance = 3t laps

And Keenan will have run:

distance = rate x time

distance = 4 laps/minute x t minutes

distance = 4t laps

At the point where they run the same distance, their distances will be equal:

3t + 10 = 4t

Simplifying the equation, we get:

t = 10

Therefore, it will take 10 minutes for Keenan to catch up to Shawn, at which point they will have both run 30 laps.