Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Practice Test

What is the formula for determining distances when two people move in opposite directions?

1. Time = Distance / Individual speeds

2. Sum of speeds = Distance / Time

3. Difference of speeds = Distance / Time

4. Time = Distance + Speeds

The correct answer is: Sum of speeds = Distance / Time

The formulation for understanding the distance traveled when two individuals are moving in opposite directions takes into account the cumulative speed of both individuals and the time they have been moving. When they move away from each other, the total distance between them increases at a rate determined by the sum of their individual speeds. In this case, the correct equation states that the distance is the product of time and the sum of the speeds of the two individuals. This can be expressed as: Distance = (Speed of Person 1 + Speed of Person 2) × Time. When rearranging this for time, we find that: Time = Distance / (Speed of Person 1 + Speed of Person 2). This relation provides a clear understanding of how time, distance, and speed interrelate in situations where two individuals are moving away from each other, making the answer accurate and applicable to the described scenario. All other options do not accurately represent the relationship when people are moving in opposite directions. The first option does not consider their joint movement, while the third refers to the difference in speeds, which is not relevant here. The fourth option suggests an incorrect formula that combines distance with speeds without accurately representing their relationship in the context of movement.