This is a car problem But what I dont understand is how to t

This is a car problem. But what I don\'t understand is how to take the information in the sentences and turn them into a problem to be worked out. So here it is...A car leaves Washington, D.C., for New York City at the same time another car leaves New York City for Washington, D.C. The car from Washington, D.C., travels at an average rate of 45 mi/h; the other car averages 55 mi/h. If the two cities are 240 mi apart, how soon will the cars meet and how far will each have traveled? What I basically need is some direction on how to solve this problem, and how to write an equation for it so that i can solve it.

Solution

First let x be the time they meet
55x+45x = 240 (The speed times the time gives you the distance)
100x = 240
x = 2.4
So they used 2.4 hours to meet each other
the faster car traveled 2.4(55) = 132 miles
the slower car traveled 2.4(45) = 108 miles
hope you will get over this kind of problems