Aptitude - Races and Games - Discussion

@ : Home > Aptitude > Races and Games > General Questions - Discussion

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."

- Indira Gandhi

In a 500 m race, the ratio of the speeds of two contestants A and B is 3 : 4. A has a start of 140 m. Then, A wins by:

[A].	60 m	[B].	40 m
[C].	20 m	[D].	10 m

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

To reach the winning post A will have to cover a distance of (500 - 140)m, i.e., 360 m.

While A covers 3 m, B covers 4 m.

While A covers 360 m, B covers 4 x 360 m = 480 m.

3

Thus, when A reaches the winning post, B covers 480 m and therefore remains 20 m behind.

A wins by 20 m.

Kriti said: (Fri, Dec 3, 2010 03:29:11 AM)

Hi, when 3:4 is the ratio of speeds how can we use it as 3m and 4m for A and B resp.?

Sudheer said: (Thu, May 19, 2011 01:51:14 PM)

Hi kriti here speed and distance are directly proportinal. If his speed is 10km/hr he cover 10km distance. If speed is 20km/hr he can cover 20 km distance. Thus speed and distance are directly proportinal. So here distance ratios also become3:4. But the time ratio will become4:3 because time and speed are inversly proportinal.

Vamsi said: (Tue, Jul 5, 2011 07:32:16 AM)

I didn't understand how it can be 4/3. ?

Malli said: (Fri, Sep 30, 2011 06:54:03 PM)

Hai, my dout is same that of vamsi. Why we had taken 4/3 in problem?

Manojit said: (Thu, Feb 9, 2012 05:19:23 PM)

While A covers 3 m, B covers 4 m. While A covers 1m, B covers 4/3 m. While A covers 360 m, B covers (4/3* 360)m =480 m. Here time is same in case of speed.we count different distance in same time.