The Rivera family is comparing two ways to travel from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.:
1. By car: Leave at \(9{:}15\,\text{a.m.}\) and arrive at \(12{:}40\,\text{p.m.}\).
2. By train: Leave at \(10{:}05\,\text{a.m.}\) and arrive at \(12{:}12\,\text{p.m.}\).
How much travel time would the family save by taking the train instead of driving?
Hints
- Find the travel time for each option separately.
- In this problem, what operation represents “time saved”?
- Subtract the shorter travel time from the longer travel time.
Solution
1. Find the driving time: From \(9{:}15\,\text{a.m.}\) to \(12{:}15\,\text{p.m.}\) is \(3\) hours, and from \(12{:}15\,\text{p.m.}\) to \(12{:}40\,\text{p.m.}\) is \(25\) minutes. The drive lasts \(3\,\text{hours}\,25\,\text{minutes}\).
2. Find the train time: From \(10{:}05\,\text{a.m.}\) to \(12{:}05\,\text{p.m.}\) is \(2\) hours, and from \(12{:}05\,\text{p.m.}\) to \(12{:}12\,\text{p.m.}\) is \(7\) minutes. The train ride lasts \(2\,\text{hours}\,7\,\text{minutes}\).
3. Find the difference: \(3\,\text{hours}\,25\,\text{minutes} - 2\,\text{hours}\,7\,\text{minutes} = 1\,\text{hour}\,18\,\text{minutes}\).
Answer
The family would save \(1\,\text{hour}\,18\,\text{minutes}\).