Time, Speed & Distance Questions with Solutions

Time, speed and distance questions are built on one relationship: distance = speed x time. The topic covers average speed, relative speed of objects moving in the same or opposite directions, problems on trains crossing poles, platforms and other trains, boats and streams, and races. Two shortcuts solve a large share of these questions. To convert km/h to m/s, multiply by 5/18. When equal distances are covered at speeds a and b, the average speed is 2ab/(a + b), not the simple average. For trains, remember that the distance covered while crossing includes the length of the train itself. Ratio reasoning also helps: at a constant distance, time is inversely proportional to speed. Practise the questions below on trains, boats, relative speed and average speed, each with a step-by-step solution.