• 5-Day Free Trial
5-day free, full-access trial TTP Quant

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• Free Practice Test & Review
How would you score if you took the GMAT

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• Free Trial & Practice Exam
BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• 5 Day FREE Trial
Study Smarter, Not Harder

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• Award-winning private GMAT tutoring
Register now and save up to $200 Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • 1 Hour Free BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Get 300+ Practice Questions 25 Video lessons and 6 Webinars for FREE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Magoosh Study with Magoosh GMAT prep Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Free Veritas GMAT Class Experience Lesson 1 Live Free Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • FREE GMAT Exam Know how you'd score today for$0

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

## Confused with Distance, rate and time formula

Sak32 Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Joined
14 Oct 2013
Posted:
30 messages

#### Confused with Distance, rate and time formula

Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:14 am
The typical distance formula is: Rate x time = Distance

Yet this problem uses the formula with: Distance x Rate = Time

I need to know why please. Its very confusing.

After driving to a riverfront parking lot, Bob plans to run south along the river, turn around, and return to the parking lot, running north along the same path. After running 3.25 miles south, he decides to run for only 50 minutes more. If Bob runs at a constant rate of 8 minutes per mile, how many miles farther south can he run and still be able to return to the parking lot?

ganeshrkamath Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Joined
23 Jun 2013
Posted:
283 messages
Followed by:
25 members
97
Test Date:
August 12, 2013
GMAT Score:
750
Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:19 am
Sak32 wrote:
The typical distance formula is: Rate x time = Distance

Yet this problem uses the formula with: Distance x Rate = Time

I need to know why please. Its very confusing.

After driving to a riverfront parking lot, Bob plans to run south along the river, turn around, and return to the parking lot, running north along the same path. After running 3.25 miles south, he decides to run for only 50 minutes more. If Bob runs at a constant rate of 8 minutes per mile, how many miles farther south can he run and still be able to return to the parking lot?

Total distance to be covered in 50 minutes = 3.25 + 2d
Speed = 1 mile/8 minutes = 1/8 miles/minute

Distance = speed * time
3.25 + 2d = (1/8) * (50)
2d = 6.25 - 3.25
2d = 3
d = 1.5 miles

NOTE: Speed is given as 8 minutes/mile, which is the reason for rate * distance = time

Cheers

_________________
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.

Kelley School of Business (Class of 2016)
GMAT Score: 750 V40 Q51 AWA 5 IR 8
https://www.beatthegmat.com/first-attempt-750-in-2-months-t268332.html#688494

### GMAT/MBA Expert

Rich.C@EMPOWERgmat.com Elite Legendary Member
Joined
23 Jun 2013
Posted:
9430 messages
Followed by:
480 members
2867
GMAT Score:
800
Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:50 am
Hi Sak32,

ganeshrkamath has properly explained the math behind this question, so I won't rehash that here.

While the GMAT will throw a variety of "standard" formulas/concepts at you, the adaptive nature of the Test means that as you show a consistent ability to answer questions correctly, the program will throw you "non-standard" versions of questions. Sometimes these questions will test your knowledge or rarer formulas or your ability to spot hidden patterns. In this case, the "twist" involves taking a non-standard rate (8 minutes per mile) and converting it into speed (60/8 = 15/2 = 7.5 miles/hour) so that you can answer the question. Pay very careful attention to the information that a prompt gives you; converting information into other formats is a necessary skill to score at a high level in the Quant section.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

_________________
Contact Rich at Rich.C@empowergmat.com

### Top First Responders*

1 GMATGuruNY 72 first replies
2 Rich.C@EMPOWERgma... 45 first replies
3 Brent@GMATPrepNow 43 first replies
4 Jay@ManhattanReview 27 first replies
5 ErikaPrepScholar 9 first replies
* Only counts replies to topics started in last 30 days
See More Top Beat The GMAT Members

### Most Active Experts

1 GMATGuruNY

The Princeton Review Teacher

133 posts
2 Rich.C@EMPOWERgma...

EMPOWERgmat

118 posts
3 Jeff@TargetTestPrep

Target Test Prep

105 posts
4 Max@Math Revolution

Math Revolution

93 posts
5 Scott@TargetTestPrep

Target Test Prep

92 posts
See More Top Beat The GMAT Experts