Two Trains and a Tunnel! Is There Room For This In The Tunnel And In Your Curriculum?

At the same instant of time, trains A and B enter the opposite ends of a tunnel which is 1/5 mile long. Don't worry -- they are on parallel tracks and no collision occurs!

Train A is traveling at 75 mi/hr and is 1/3 mile long.
Train B is traveling at 100 mi/hr and is 1/4 mile long.

When the rear of train B just emerges from the tunnel, in exactly how many more seconds will it take the rear of train A to emerge?

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Comments
1. Appropriate for middle schoolers even before algebra? Exactly when are middle schoolers in your district introduced to the fundamental Rate_Time_Distance relationship?
2. What benefits do you think result from tackling this kind of exercise? If it's not going to be tested on your standardized tests, is it worth all the time and effort?
3. How much "trackwork" needs to be laid before students are ready for this level of problem-solving?
4. As an instructional strategy, would you have the problem acted out with models in the room or use actual students to represent the trains and the tunnel? OR just have them draw a diagram and go from there? Do a simulation on the TI-Inspire or TI-84 using graphics and parametric equations for the older students?
5. If you believe there is still a place for this type of problem-solving, should it be given only to the advanced classes and depicted as a math contest challenge?
6. I'm dating myself but I remember seeing problems like this in my old yellow Algebra 2 textbook? Uh, I believe this was B.C. -- before calculators! Can you imagine! Do you recall these kinds of problems? Do you recall the author or publisher?
7. Of course, the proverbial "two trains and tunnel" problems are frequently parodied and used as emblematic of the "old math"! They've been replaced by "real-world" applications. "Progress makes perfect!"

YOUR THOUGHTS...





Answer: 9.4 seconds (challenge this if you think I erred!)

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