A car travels $\frac{3}{4}$th of the distance at a speed of $60 \text{

A car travels $\frac{3}{4}$th of the distance at a speed of $60 \text{ km/hr}$ and the remaining $\frac{1}{4}$th of the distance at a speed of $v \text{ km/hr}$. If the average speed for the full journey is $50 \text{ km/hr}$, then the value of $v$ is

40
30
100/3
35
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2022
Let the total distance be $D$.
The journey is in two parts.
Part 1: Distance $D_1 = \frac{3}{4}D$, Speed $S_1 = 60 \text{ km/hr}$.
Time taken for Part 1: $T_1 = \frac{D_1}{S_1} = \frac{\frac{3}{4}D}{60} = \frac{3D}{240} = \frac{D}{80}$ hours.

Part 2: Distance $D_2 = D – D_1 = D – \frac{3}{4}D = \frac{1}{4}D$. Speed $S_2 = v \text{ km/hr}$.
Time taken for Part 2: $T_2 = \frac{D_2}{S_2} = \frac{\frac{1}{4}D}{v} = \frac{D}{4v}$ hours.

Total distance for the journey is $D$.
Total time for the journey is $T_{total} = T_1 + T_2 = \frac{D}{80} + \frac{D}{4v}$.

The average speed for the full journey is given as $50 \text{ km/hr}$.
Average Speed = $\frac{\text{Total Distance}}{\text{Total Time}}$
$50 = \frac{D}{\frac{D}{80} + \frac{D}{4v}}$

We can factor out $D$ from the denominator:
$50 = \frac{D}{D\left(\frac{1}{80} + \frac{1}{4v}\right)}$
$50 = \frac{1}{\frac{1}{80} + \frac{1}{4v}}$

Taking the reciprocal of both sides:
$\frac{1}{50} = \frac{1}{80} + \frac{1}{4v}$

Now, solve for $v$:
$\frac{1}{4v} = \frac{1}{50} – \frac{1}{80}$

Find a common denominator for the right side, which is 400:
$\frac{1}{4v} = \frac{8}{400} – \frac{5}{400}$
$\frac{1}{4v} = \frac{8 – 5}{400}$
$\frac{1}{4v} = \frac{3}{400}$

Cross-multiply:
$4v \times 3 = 1 \times 400$
$12v = 400$

Divide by 12:
$v = \frac{400}{12}$

Simplify the fraction by dividing numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 4:
$v = \frac{400 \div 4}{12 \div 4} = \frac{100}{3}$

The value of $v$ is $\frac{100}{3} \text{ km/hr}$.

– Definition of average speed (Total Distance / Total Time).
– Calculating time taken for each segment of the journey.
– Setting up and solving an equation based on the given average speed.
This problem illustrates the concept that average speed is not simply the average of the speeds when the time spent at each speed or the distance covered at each speed is different. The weighted average must be calculated based on time.
The reciprocal formula for average speed when different distances are covered at different speeds is not directly applicable here in its simplest form, but the fundamental definition always works.
Note that $100/3$ km/hr is approximately $33.33$ km/hr.
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