Solving Rational Equations by Graphing
Let’s do an example together. A cyclist travels 10 miles in the same time that a walker travels 4 miles. The speed of the cyclist is 6 miles more than the speed of the walker. Find the speed of the cyclist and the walker.
How do you represent the walker’s and the cyclist’s speed? Let x = walker’s speed Let x+6 = cyclist’s speed
Remember to use the formula d=rt. Walker Cyclist = Solve for t
Using your graphing calculator, graph the functions and find the intersection.
Using the x-coordinate of the positive intersection point, you find the answer. Why use the positive x-coordinate? What were the respective speeds of the cyclist and the walker? The cyclist speed was 10 mph. The walker’s speed was 4 mph.
Try this on your own. A car travels 450 miles in the same time that a freight truck travels 250 miles. The speed of the car is 20 mph more than the truck’s speed. Find the speed of the truck and the car. Car = 45 mph ; Truck = 25 mph