Question 1

Train A and Train B start from the same station at the same time. Train A travels at 60 km/h and Train B travels at 40 km/h in the same direction. After how many hours will Train A be 100 km ahead of Train B?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When trains move in the same direction, relative speed = difference of speeds = 60 - 40 = 20 km/h. Step 2: Train A gains 20 km on Train B every hour. Step 3: To be 100 km ahead, time required = 100 ÷ 20 = 5 hours.

Question 2

A bus travels 120 km in 3 hours. If it increases its speed by 20 km/h, how much time will it take to cover the same 120 km?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Calculate original speed: Speed = 120 ÷ 3 = 40 km/h. Step 2: Calculate new speed: New Speed = 40 + 20 = 60 km/h. Step 3: Calculate time at new speed: Time = Distance ÷ Speed = 120 ÷ 60 = 2 hours.

Question 3

A train of length 180 m passes a stationary pole in 9 seconds. How long will it take to pass another train of length 120 m moving in the opposite direction at the same speed?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Find the speed of the first train. When passing a pole, distance = train length = 180 m, time = 9 s. Speed = 180 ÷ 9 = 20 m/s. Step 2: When two trains of equal speed pass each other in opposite directions, relative speed = 20 + 20 = 40 m/s. Step 3: Total distance to cover = 180 + 120 = 300 m. Step 4: Time = 300 ÷ 40 = 7.5 seconds.

Question 4

A man cycles at 15 km/h and a woman cycles at 10 km/h in the same direction on the same road. If the woman starts 30 km ahead, how long will it take the man to catch up with the woman?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When both move in the same direction, relative speed = faster speed − slower speed = 15 − 10 = 5 km/h. Step 2: The man needs to cover the 30 km gap at this relative speed. Time = 30 ÷ 5 = 6 hours.

Question 5

Train A crosses a platform of length 150 m in 20 seconds. If the train's length is 250 m, what is the speed of Train A?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When a train crosses a platform, the total distance covered = length of train + length of platform = 250 + 150 = 400 m. Step 2: Speed = Distance ÷ Time = 400 ÷ 20 = 20 m/s.

Question 6

A cyclist travels at 15 km/h for 3 hours and then at 20 km/h for 2 hours. What is the average speed for the entire journey?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Calculate distance covered in first part: Distance₁ = Speed₁ × Time₁ = 15 × 3 = 45 km. Step 2: Calculate distance covered in second part: Distance₂ = Speed₂ × Time₂ = 20 × 2 = 40 km. Step 3: Calculate total distance: Total Distance = 45 + 40 = 85 km. Step 4: Calculate total time: Total Time = 3 + 2 = 5 hours. Step 5: Average Speed = Total Distance ÷ Total Time = 85 ÷ 5 = 17 km/h.

Question 7

A and B run on a circular track of 500 metres. A completes one lap in 50 seconds, while B completes one lap in 100 seconds. If they start together from the same point and run in the same direction, how many times will A lap B in 500 seconds?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Speed of A = 500 ÷ 50 = 10 m/s. Speed of B = 500 ÷ 100 = 5 m/s. Step 2: Relative speed = 10 − 5 = 5 m/s. Step 3: In 500 seconds, A gains = 5 × 500 = 2500 metres on B. Step 4: Number of laps = 2500 ÷ 500 = 5 laps.

Question 8

Two trains are moving towards each other on parallel tracks. Train X has a speed of 45 km/h and Train Y has a speed of 55 km/h. If they are 400 km apart, in how many hours will they meet?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When two trains move towards each other, their relative speed = sum of their individual speeds = 45 + 55 = 100 km/h. Step 2: Time to meet = Distance ÷ Relative Speed = 400 ÷ 100 = 4 hours.

Question 9

A boat travels 48 km downstream in 3 hours. If the speed of the stream is 2 km/h, what is the speed of the boat in still water?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Downstream speed = Distance ÷ Time = 48 ÷ 3 = 16 km/h. Step 2: Downstream speed = Boat speed + Stream speed, so 16 = Boat speed + 2. Step 3: Boat speed = 16 − 2 = 14 km/h.

Question 10

A man can row 36 km downstream in 4 hours and 32 km upstream in 8 hours. What is the speed of the stream?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Downstream speed = 36 ÷ 4 = 9 km/h. Step 2: Upstream speed = 32 ÷ 8 = 4 km/h. Step 3: Stream speed = (Downstream speed − Upstream speed) ÷ 2 = (9 − 4) ÷ 2 = 5 ÷ 2 = 2.5 km/h.

Question 11

A boat takes 5 hours to travel 60 km downstream. If the boat's speed in still water is 11 km/h, what is the speed of the stream?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Downstream speed = 60 ÷ 5 = 12 km/h. Step 2: Downstream speed = Boat speed + Stream speed, so 12 = 11 + Stream speed. Step 3: Stream speed = 12 − 11 = 1 km/h.

Question 12

A boat travels 80 km upstream in 10 hours. If the stream's speed is 2 km/h, what is the boat's speed in still water?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Upstream speed = 80 ÷ 10 = 8 km/h. Step 2: Upstream speed = Boat speed − Stream speed, so 8 = Boat speed − 2. Step 3: Boat speed = 8 + 2 = 10 km/h.

Question 13

A boatman rows 24 km downstream and 16 km upstream, taking 4 hours for the entire journey. If the stream's speed is 2 km/h, what is the boat's speed in still water?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Let boat speed = b km/h. Downstream speed = b + 2, Upstream speed = b − 2. Step 2: Time equation: 24/(b+2) + 16/(b−2) = 4. Step 3: Multiply through: 24(b−2) + 16(b+2) = 4(b+2)(b−2). Step 4: 24b − 48 + 16b + 32 = 4(b² − 4). Step 5: 40b − 16 = 4b² − 16. Step 6: 40b = 4b². Step 7: 10b = b². Step 8: b = 10 km/h.

Question 14

A boat's speed in still water is 10 km/h and the stream's speed is 3 km/h. How long will it take the boat to travel 91 km upstream?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Upstream speed = Boat speed − Stream speed = 10 − 3 = 7 km/h. Step 2: Time = Distance ÷ Speed = 91 ÷ 7 = 13 hours.

Question 15

Two trains are moving towards each other on parallel tracks. Train A travels at 60 km/h and Train B travels at 40 km/h. If they are initially 500 km apart, how long will it take for them to meet?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When two objects move towards each other, their relative speed is the sum of their individual speeds. Relative speed = 60 + 40 = 100 km/h. Step 2: Time = Distance ÷ Relative Speed = 500 ÷ 100 = 5 hours.

Question 16

Two cyclists start from the same point on a circular track of 600 metres and cycle in opposite directions. Their speeds are 12 m/s and 8 m/s respectively. After how many seconds will they meet for the first time?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: When moving in opposite directions on a circular track, speeds add up. Combined speed = 12 + 8 = 20 m/s. Step 2: To meet for the first time, they must together cover the entire track length = 600 metres. Step 3: Time = Distance ÷ Combined Speed = 600 ÷ 20 = 30 seconds.

Question 17

A car covers 150 km in 2.5 hours. How long will it take to cover 450 km at the same speed?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Calculate speed using Speed = Distance ÷ Time. Speed = 150 ÷ 2.5 = 60 km/h. Step 2: Calculate time for 450 km using Time = Distance ÷ Speed. Time = 450 ÷ 60 = 7.5 hours.

Question 18

Two friends, P and Q, jog on a circular track of 300 metres. P's speed is 6 m/s and Q's speed is 4 m/s. They start from the same point at the same time, running in the same direction. After how many seconds will they meet again at the starting point?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Time for P to complete one lap = 300 ÷ 6 = 50 seconds. Step 2: Time for Q to complete one lap = 300 ÷ 4 = 75 seconds. Step 3: They will meet at the starting point when the time elapsed is a common multiple of both lap times. LCM(50, 75) = 150 seconds.

Question 19

Two runners, A and B, start running on a circular track of length 400 metres at the same time from the same point. A runs at 8 m/s and B runs at 6 m/s in the same direction. After how many seconds will A lap B (i.e., be exactly one full lap ahead)?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Relative speed of A with respect to B = 8 − 6 = 2 m/s. Step 2: For A to lap B, A must cover one full lap more than B, which means A must gain 400 metres on B. Step 3: Time = Distance ÷ Relative Speed = 400 ÷ 2 = 200 seconds.

Question 20

A man walks at 5 km/h and covers a certain distance in 4 hours. If he walks at 8 km/h, how much time will he save?

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Calculate distance: Distance = Speed × Time = 5 × 4 = 20 km. Step 2: Calculate time at new speed: Time = Distance ÷ Speed = 20 ÷ 8 = 2.5 hours. Step 3: Calculate time saved: Time Saved = 4 - 2.5 = 1.5 hours.

IBPS Clerk Time, Speed & Distance Questions

IBPS Clerk Time, Speed & Distance — Past Exam Questions

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