Question:
A 300-foot train, cruising at a speed of 300 feet per minute, must pass through a 300-foot-long tunnel. How long will it take the train to travel through the tunnel?
Answer:
The train will take a total of 2 minutes to travel through the 300-foot-long tunnel.
Explanation
Let’s navigate through the puzzle using sharp observation and reasoning to unveil the train’s travel time through the tunnel.
Understanding the Given Information
- Length of the train = 300 feet
- Speed of the train = 300 feet per minute
- Length of the tunnel = 300 feet
When the train begins to enter the tunnel, the front of the train appears at the tunnel exit after one minute. However, it takes another minute for the entire train to be fully out of the tunnel. Hence, the train’s travel time consists of two parts: the first minute for the front to emerge and the second minute for the whole train to pass through.
Total travel time = 1 minute + 1 minute = 2 minutes