1952 AMC 12 Problem 48
Attempt Problem 48 of the 1952 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1952 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.
All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
48.
Two cyclists, miles apart, and starting at the same time, would be together in hours if they traveled in the same direction, but would pass each other in hours if they traveled in opposite directions. The ratio of the speed of the faster cyclist to that of the slower is:
Answer: A
Small Hint:
Let the faster and slower speeds be and , and write the same-direction and opposite-direction relative-speed equations
Big Hint:
Use and , then solve for
Solution:
Let the speeds be The two meeting conditions give Adding and subtracting these equations yields Therefore
Thus, the correct answer is A.