Time, Speed & Distance Tricks
BASIC CONCEPTS
Speed = Distance / Time
Distance = Speed × Time
Time = Distance / Speed
1 km/h = (5/18) m/s
1 m/s = (18/5) km/h
Trick 1: Units Conversion
km/h → m/s: Multiply by 5/18
m/s → km/h: Multiply by 18/5
Example: 36 km/h = 36 × 5/18 = 10 m/s
Trick 2: Two Vehicles Moving Towards/Away From Each Other
Opposite direction: Relative speed = S₁ + S₂
Same direction: Relative speed = S₁ – S₂
Example: 40 km/h & 60 km/h → Relative speed = 100 km/h
Trick 3: Average Speed Formula
Average speed = (2xy)/(x + y)
Example: To city = 60 km/h, return = 40 km/h → Avg = 48 km/h
Trick 4: Distance Constant ⇒ Time ∝ 1/Speed
T₁/T₂ = S₂/S₁
Example: Speeds = 60 km/h & 30 km/h → Time ratio = 1:2
Trick 5: Train Passing
Pole/man: Time = Length / Speed
Platform/bridge: Time = (Train + Platform) / Speed
Example: 120 m train at 60 km/h = ~7.2 sec
Trick 6: Two Trains Passing Each Other
Opposite: Time = (L₁ + L₂) / (S₁ + S₂)
Same: Time = (L₁ + L₂) / (S₁ – S₂)
Trick 7: Boats & Streams
Downstream = B + S
Upstream = B – S
Average Speed = 2 × Upstream × Downstream / (Upstream + Downstream)
Trick 8: Time Difference Given
Distance = (S₁ × S₂ × Time Difference) / |S₁ – S₂|
Example: Speeds 6 & 4 km/h, diff = 1 hr → D = 12 km
Trick 9: Train/Man/Platform Shortcuts
Time to cross platform > Time to cross pole
Time difference = Extra length / Speed
Quick Formulas Table
Speed = Distance / Time
km/h to m/s: ×5/18, m/s to km/h: ×18/5
Relative speed (opp): S₁ + S₂
Relative speed (same): S₁ – S₂
Average speed = 2xy / (x + y)
Train vs Pole: Time = Length / Speed
Train vs Platform: Time = (Train + Platform) / Speed
Boat downstream/upstream = B±S
Time diff → dist = (S₁ × S₂ × Diff) / |S₁ – S₂|
Practice Problems
1. A train covers 120 km in 2 hours. What is its speed?
a. A) 50 km/h
b. B) 60 km/h
c. C) 40 km/h
d. D) 80 km/h
2. A car travels 100 km at 50 km/h and returns at 25 km/h. What is the average
speed for the whole journey?
a. A) 33.33 km/h
b. B) 37.5 km/h
c. C) 30 km/h
d. D) 35 km/h
3. If a person walks at 5 km/h, he is 20 minutes late. If he walks at 6 km/h, he is
10 minutes early. What is the distance?
a. A) 10 km
b. B) 12 km
c. C) 15 km
d. D) 20 km
4. A train 120 m long passes a pole in 6 seconds. What is the speed of the train
in km/h?
a. A) 60 km/h
b. B) 72 km/h
c. C) 54 km/h
d. D) 50 km/h
5. A boat takes 6 hours to go 30 km downstream and 5 hours to go 15 km
upstream. What is the speed of the boat in still water?
a. A) 5 km/h
b. B) 4.5 km/h
c. C) 6 km/h
d. D) 7 km/h
6. Two trains are moving in the same direction at 50 km/h and 30 km/h. If the
faster train crosses a man in the slower train in 18 seconds, find the length of
the faster train.
a. A) 100 m
b. B) 120 m
c. C) 150 m
d. D) 180 m
7. A cyclist covers a distance of 60 km at a speed of 20 km/h. How much time
does he take?
a. A) 2 hours
b. B) 3 hours
c. C) 4 hours
d. D) 5 hours
8. A train takes 10 seconds to cross a 100 m long bridge and 6 seconds to cross
a signal pole. Find the speed of the train.
a. A) 60 km/h
b. B) 72 km/h
c. C) 54 km/h
d. D) 66 km/h
9. A car covers 1/4th of the journey at 40 km/h, 1/2 at 60 km/h, and the rest at
80 km/h. Find the average speed.
a. A) 56 km/h
b. B) 58 km/h
c. C) 60 km/h
d. D) 62 km/h
10. A man travels 90 km in 3 hours, partly at 20 km/h and partly at 40 km/h.
How much distance did he travel at 40 km/h?
• A) 30 km
• B) 40 km
• C) 45 km
• D) 60 k
11. Two trains of lengths 120 m and 130 m are moving in opposite directions
with speeds 42 km/h and 48 km/h. In how much time will they cross each
other?
• A) 10 s
• B) 12 s
• C) 15 s
• D) 18 s
12. A man walks from A to B at 5 km/h and returns at 3 km/h. What is his
average speed?
• A) 3.5 km/h
• B) 4 km/h
• C) 3.75 km/h
• D) 4.5 km/h
13. A bus increases its speed from 60 km/h to 75 km/h and covers the same
distance in 16 minutes less. Find the distance.
• A) 80 km
• B) 100 km
• C) 120 km
• D) 150 km
14. A train moving at 90 km/h takes 40 seconds to cross another train of length
200 m. Find the length of the first train.
• A) 600 m
• B) 800 m
• C) 1000 m
• D) 1200 m
15. A person travels from A to B in 4 hours at 60 km/h and returns in 5 hours.
What is his average speed for the whole journey?
• A) 56 km/h
• B) 58 km/h
• C) 60 km/h
• D) 62 km/h
16. A 150 m long train crosses a 200 m long platform in 20 seconds. What is the
speed of the train?
• A) 60 km/h
• B) 63 km/h
• C) 72 km/h
• D) 84 km/h
17. A boat can go 30 km downstream in 3 hours and return in 5 hours. What is
the speed of the stream?
• A) 1 km/h
• B) 2 km/h
• C) 3 km/h
• D) 4 km/h
18. If a man increases his walking speed by 2 km/h, he reaches 30 minutes early.
What is the usual time taken?
• A) 2 hours
• B) 2.5 hours
• C) 3 hours
• D) 3.5 hours
19. A train passes a platform in 30 seconds and a pole in 18 seconds. If the train
is 180 m long, what is the length of the platform?
• A) 100 m
• B) 150 m
• C) 180 m
• D) 120 m
20. Two cyclists start from the same point at the same time in opposite
directions. If their speeds are 20 km/h and 30 km/h, how far apart will they
be after 1.5 hours?
• A) 60 km
• B) 70 km
• C) 75 km
• D) 90 km