A train travels 120 miles in 2 hours. It then increases its speed by 20% for the next 3 hours. How far does the train travel in total?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:07:36 +0000

**A train travels 120 miles in 2 hours. It then increases its speed by 20% for the next 3 hours. How far does the train travel in total?** Ever wondered how a train handles shifting speeds on a long route? Recent conversations about rail efficiency reveal growing interest in how modern trains manage variable speeds driven by distance, time, and performance—like one traveling 120 miles in the first two hours and then accelerating efficiently for the next three. Understanding these dynamics sparks curiosity, especially as transportation trends evolve with technological improvements and sustainability goals. This journey isn’t just for engineers—it’s a story about precision, timing, and how data-powered adjustments enhance real-world travel. This setup—120 miles in 2 hours followed by a 20% speed increase for three hours—raises a clear physical question: what’s the total distance covered? The math behind it blends steady pace and strategic acceleration, revealing how speed changes impact overall distance. But beyond numbers, this pattern reflects real-world rail operations, where trains balance efficiency and timing to optimize journey length and resource use. The key to solving this doesn’t involve flashy claims—it’s grounded in simple physics and time-based calculations. First, the initial segment covers 120 miles in two hours, establishing a baseline speed of 60 miles per hour. Then, the speed increases by 20%, turning that steady baseline into a faster pace: 60 mph × 1.2 equals 72 miles per hour. For the next three hours at this elevated speed, the train travels 72 × 3 = 216 miles. Adding both segments, the full trip totals 120 + 216 = 336 miles.