FILE No.73Unsolved
A thief with stolen goods leaves town and walks along a straight road at 3 mph. 20 minutes later, a police officer on a bicycle sets off along the same road at 9 mph.
The thief never rests and keeps a steady pace. So does the officer.
How many minutes after the officer sets off will he catch the thief?
If you get stuck, open the hints one at a time, in order.
How far ahead is the thief when the officer starts?
How quickly does the gap shrink each hour?
Divide the gap by the closing speed.
How many minutes after the officer sets off will he catch the thief?
Choose the answer closest to the truth.
10 minutes
The answer is: 10 minutes.
In 20 minutes the thief walks 3 x (20/60) = 1 mile. The officer gains 9 - 3 = 6 miles every hour. Closing a 1 mile gap at 6 mph takes 1/6 hour, which is 10 minutes.
People add or subtract the 20 minutes straight from the answer.
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