The commuter

Every day, Bill takes the train to travel from his work back to Llareggub, his place of residence. Usually, he arrives at the station of Llareggub at six o'clock, and exactly at that moment he is picked up by his wife by car. Yesterday evening, Bill took an earlier train, without informing his wife, and therefore he already was at the station of Llareggub at five o'clock. He decided to walk part of the way to meet his wife. When he met the car with his wife, he drove home with her. In this way, they were home ten minutes earlier than normal.

For how long did Bill walk yesterday evening?

55 mins

Coincidence the name is bugger all backwards?

Originally posted by mazziewag
Coincidence the name is bugger all backwards?

None whatsoever.

"When you say Dylan, he thinks you're talking about Dylan Thomas - whoever he was. The man ain't got no culcher." - Paul Simon, ASDP(OHIWRMIS)

Richard

I remember reading Under Milk Wood at a tender age in English class and finding the line "It's organ organ all the time with him" (about someone who plays the church organ at every available opportunity) the funniest thing ever.

Originally posted by Coconut
55 mins

I think this is right, right?

The wife usually leaves at some specific time, travels to the station in time t(normal), picks up the husband, and travels home in the same amount of time t(normal).

Yesterday, the wife left at the same specific time but met her husband on the road having traveled only time t(early), and drove home in the same amount of time t(early). When they arrived home, it was 10 minutes earlier than usual.

So, we have:

2*t(normal) - 2*t(early) = 10 minutes
t(normal) - t(early) = 5 minutes

Since we also know that when the wife drives for time t(normal) she arrives at the station at 6:00pm, she must have picked up her husband 5 minutes early at 5:55pm. Since the husband left the station at 5:00pm, he must have been walking for 55 minutes.

Originally posted by PBE6
I think this is right, right?

The wife usually leaves at some specific time, travels to the station in time t(normal), picks up the husband, and travels home in the same amount of time t(normal).

Yesterday, the wife left at the same specific time but met her husband on the road having traveled only time t(early), and drove home in the same amount of time ...[text shortened]... 5:55pm. Since the husband left the station at 5:00pm, he must have been walking for 55 minutes.

YEP! Correct. Too easy, I guess.


BTW - Elegant solution, you...

Originally posted by Mathurine
YEP! Correct. Too easy, I guess.


BTW - Elegant solution, you...

I never show my work. My physics professor is becoming annoyed.