(An Orchids The International School Initiative)

Subject: Mathematics Grade: 8

CONTENT MODULE
TOPIC: TIME, DISTANCE AND WORK
Time, distance, and work problems are essential topics in mathematics, frequently appearing in
competitive exams. These concepts help in understanding motion, speed variations, work efficiency,
and resource management in real-life scenarios.

Time and distance problems involve calculating the speed of moving objects, estimating travel
durations, and analysing relative motion in different directions. Understanding these concepts is
crucial for applications such as planning travel routes, determining the speed of vehicles, and solving
train-related problems.

Work and time problems focus on determining how long it takes to complete a task based on the
efficiency of individuals or groups. These problems help in optimizing work distribution, estimating
project completion time, and understanding the relationship between workforce and productivity.

Mastering these concepts enhances problem-solving skills and logical reasoning, making them
valuable for both academic and practical applications.

Time and Distance

Time, distance, and speed are fundamental concepts in motion and kinematics. These concepts are
widely used in real-life applications, such as calculating travel time, determining the speed of vehicles,
and analysing relative motion in different scenarios.

 Speed (S): The rate at which an object moves from one point to another. It tells how fast or
slow an object is traveling.

 Distance (D): The total length covered by an object while moving from one point to another.

 Time (T): The duration taken by an object to cover a certain distance.

Formulae:

The relationship between speed, distance, and time is given by the following formulas:

1. Distance = Speed × Time

o This formula is used when speed and time are known, and we need to find the total
distance covered.

o Example: If a car is moving at a speed of 60 km/h for 2 hours, the distance covered is:

D = 60 × 2 = 120 km
 2. Speed = Distance / Time

o This formula is used to determine how fast an object is moving when the distance
travelled and time taken are known.

o Example: If a cyclist covers 30 km in 2 hours, the speed is:

S = 30/2 = 15 km

3. Time = Distance / Speed

o This formula is useful when distance and speed are given, and we need to calculate
the time taken to travel.

o Example: If a train travels 150 km at a speed of 50 km/h, the time taken is:

T = 150/50 = 3 hours

Key Points:

1. Units of Speed:

o Speed is typically measured in kilometres per hour (km/h) or meters per second
(m/s).

2. Unit Conversions:
Since speed can be given in different units, we use conversion factors to switch between
km/h and m/s:

o 1 km/h = 5/18 m/s

 This means that to convert a speed given in km/h to m/s, we multiply by 5/18.

 Example: Convert 90 km/h to m/s:

90 × 5/18 = 25 m/s

o 1 m/s = 18/5 km/h

 To convert a speed given in m/s to km/h, we multiply by 18/5.

 Example: Convert 10 m/s to km/h:

10 × 18/5 = 36 km/h

Relative Speed:

Relative speed is the effective speed when two objects are moving with respect to each other. It is
used to determine the time taken for one object to pass another.

1. Objects Moving in the Same Direction:

o If two objects move in the same direction, their relative speed is the difference of
their speeds.

o Example: If a car moves at 80 km/h and another car follows at 60 km/h in the same
direction, their relative speed is: 80 – 60 = 20 km/h

o This means the first car moves 20 km ahead of the second car every hour.
 2. Objects Moving in Opposite Directions:

o If two objects move in opposite directions, their relative speed is the sum of their
speeds.

o Example: If a train moves at 90 km/h in one direction and another train moves at 60
km/h in the opposite direction, their relative speed is: 90 + 60 = 150 km/h

o This means they approach each other at a speed of 150 km every hour.

Solved Examples on Time and Distance

1. A man covers a distance of 120 km in 3 hours. He then increases his speed by 50% and covers the
next 120 km. Find the total time taken.

 Initial speed = 120/3 = 40 km/h.

 Increased speed = 40 × 1.5 = 60 km/h.

 Time for second part = 120/60 = 2 hours.

 Total time = 3 + 2 = 5 hours.

2. A train of length 240 m crosses a pole in 12 seconds. Find its speed in km/h.

 Speed = Distance / Time = 240/12 = 20 m/s.

 Convert to km/h → 20 × (18/5) = 72 km/h.

3. A man walks at 6 km/h and reaches his destination 30 minutes early. If he walks at 5 km/h, he is
late by 40 minutes. Find the actual time required.

 Let actual time be T hours and actual distance be D km.

 Distance = Speed × Time, so:

o (6 × (T - 1/2)) = (5 × (T + 2/3))

 Solving, T = 5 hours.

4. Two trains of lengths 120 m and 150 m move in opposite directions at speeds of 54 km/h and 72
km/h. Find the time taken to cross each other completely.

 Relative speed = 54 + 72 = 126 km/h = (126 × 5/18) = 35 m/s.

 Total distance = 120 + 150 = 270 m.

 Time = Distance / Speed = 270 / 35 ≈ 7.7 seconds.

5. A train 150 m long is moving at 54 km/h. It crosses a platform in 24 seconds. Find the length of
the platform.

 Speed = 54 × (5/18) = 15 m/s.

 Distance covered = Speed × Time = 15 × 24 = 360 m.

 Length of platform = 360 - 150 = 210 m.

6. Two buses start from a point such that one bus travelling at 80 km/h reaches its destination 2 h
before the other bus which travels at 60 km/h. However, the distance travelled by the bus travelling
at 60 km/h is 40 km more than that of the other bus. Find the distance travelled by the bus which is
travelling at 80 km/h.

Let the distance travelled by the bus travelling at 80 km/h be d km, then the distance travelled by the
other = (𝑑 + 40) km.
𝑑 + 40 𝑑
Time difference = 60
− 80 =2
4𝑑+160−3𝑑
240
=2

𝑑 + 160 = 480
𝑑 = 320 km/h

7. A train moving at 90 km/h overtakes a person walking at 6 km/h in 8 seconds. Find the length of
the train.

 Relative speed = (90 - 6) = 84 km/h = 84 × (5/18) = 23.33 m/s.

 Length of train = Speed × Time = 23.33 × 8 ≈ 186.67 m.

 WORK AND TIME
Work and time are essential concepts in real-life scenarios such as construction, production, and
efficiency analysis. The relationship between work, time, and the rate of work helps determine how
long a task takes when one or more people (or machines) work on it.

1. Work Done (W):

o It refers to the total amount of work completed in a given time.

o Work can be measured in units such as tasks completed, walls built, or machines
assembled.

2. Rate of Work:

o The amount of work completed per unit time.

o It shows the efficiency of a worker or machine.

Formulae:

1. Work Done = Rate of Work × Time

o This formula calculates the total work completed when the rate of work and time are
known.

o Example: If a worker paints 3 walls per day, then in 5 days, the total work done is:

W = 3 × 5 = 15 walls

2. Time Required = Total Work / Rate of Work

o This formula calculates the time needed to complete a task when the total work and
rate of work are known.

o Example: If a team needs to manufacture 50 products and they produce 10 products

per day, then the time required is:

T = 50/10 = 5 days

Key Points:

1. Work Done in One Day:

 If a worker (A) completes a task in x days, then the amount of work A does in one day is: A′s 1-
1
day work = 𝑥

 Example: If A can complete a task in 10 days, then A’s 1-day work is:
1
10
 This means A completes 1/10th of the total work each day.
2. Combined Work of Two Workers (A and B):

 If A completes a task in x days and B completes the same task in y days, then their combined
work per day is:
1 1
( + )
𝑥 𝑦
This formula is used when two people work together to complete a task.

 Example:
1
o A can complete a task in 6 days, so A’s 1-day work = 6
1
o B can complete the same task in 8 days, so B’s 1-day work =
8

o Their combined 1-day work is:

1 1 4 3 7
+ = + =
6 8 24 24 24
o This means A and B together can complete 7/24th of the work in one day.

o The total time required to complete the entire work is:

1 24
T= 7 = ≈ 3.43 days
7
24

3. More Workers → Less Time (Inverse Proportion):

 If more workers are assigned to a task, the time required to complete the work decreases.

 This is an example of inverse proportionality:

1
Time ∝
Number of Workers
 Example:

1. A single worker takes 12 days to complete a task.

2. If 3 workers are assigned, the time required is:

12
3
= 4 days

3. This means that tripling the workforce reduces the time by one-third.

Solved Examples on Work and Time

1. A can complete a work in 12 days and B in 15 days. How long will they take working
together?

 A’s 1-day work = 1/12, B’s 1-day work = 1/15.

 Total work per day = (1/12) + (1/15) = 9/60 = 1/6.67.

 Total time = 6.67 days.

2. A and B together can complete a work in 8 days. B alone takes 12 days. How long will A
alone take?

 Work done per day by A and B = 1/8.

 Work done per day by B = 1/12.

 A’s work per day = (1/8 - 1/12) = 1/24.

 Time taken by A alone = 24 days.

3. 8 men can complete a work in 20 days. After 10 days, 4 more men join. How many days will
the work take to complete?
 Let W be the units of works per man day.
 Total work = 20 × 8 = 180 units of works.
 After 10 days, 10 × 8 =80 units of work will be completed.
 Hence, the remaining work=160 – 80 = 80
 Now, more days required to complete the work by 12 men will be = 80/12 = 6.67 days.

4. A, B, and C can complete a work in 12, 15, and 20 days respectively. How long will they take
working together?

 A’s 1-day work = 1/12, B’s 1-day work = 1/15, C’s 1-day work = 1/20.

 Total work per day = (1/12) + (1/15) + (1/20) = 12/60 = 1/5.

 Total time = 5 days.

5. Three men working together can complete a task in 8 days. After 4 days, two more men
join. How many more days will it take to finish the task?

 Let W be the units of works per man day.

 Total work = 8 × 3 = 24 units of works.
 After 4 days, 4 × 3 = 12 units of work will be completed.
 Hence, the remaining work = 24 – 12 = 12
 Now, more days required to complete the work by 5 men will be = 12/5 = 2.4 days.

6. A, B, and C together can complete a work in 6 days. A alone takes 12 days, and B alone takes
18 days. C alone can complete the same work in how many days?

 A, B, and C together complete the work in 6 days

 Work done per day by (A + B + C) = 1/6
 A alone takes 12 days → Work done per day by A = 1/12
 B alone takes 18 days → Work done per day by B = 1/18

C’s work per day = (Work per day of A, B, and C together) - (Work per day of A) - (Work per
day of B)
 1 1 1
= − −
6 12 18

6 3 2 1
= − − =
36 36 36 36

So, C alone completes 1/36 of the work in 1 day.

Since, C does 1/36 of the work in one day, C alone will take 36 days to complete the work.

7. 4 men or 5 women can construct a wall in 82 days. How long will it take for 5 men and 4
women to do the same?

Given, 𝟒𝒎 = 𝟓𝒘, where m is the work done by one man in one day and w is the work done
by one woman in one day.

5𝑤
1𝑚 =
4
5𝑤 41𝑤
Now, 5𝑚 + 4𝑤 = 5 ( 4
)+ 4𝑤 = 4

If 5𝑤 can do the work in 82 days, then

41𝑤 4
can do in 5𝑤 × 82 × = 40 days.
4 41𝑤

8. A and B can do a piece of work in 6 days and 9 days, respectively, and they work on alternate
days starting with A on the first day. In how many days will the work be completed?

Since they work on alternate days, let us consider a period of two days.

1 1 5
In a period of two days, work done by A and B = 6 + 9 = 18

5
If we consider 3 such time periods (we are considering 3 periods because in the fraction 18 ,
the numerator 5 goes 3 times in the denominator 18), then

5 15
Work done = 3 × (18) = 18

3 1
Remaining work = 18 = 6

Now, it is A’s turn, since 3 whole numbers of periods are over.

1
Time taken by A to finish 6th of the work is one day.

So, total time taken = (3 × 2) + 1 = 7 days.