What do you think? Justify your answer.
Understand the Problem
The question presents a scenario where Zara believes the train travel time increases proportionally with the number of people, and you need to justify why you agree or disagree.
Answer
I disagree with Zara because the number of passengers generally doesn't affect a train's travel time.
Answer for screen readers
I disagree with Zara. The number of passengers on a train does not usually affect the travel time. The train's schedule, route, and speed determine the travel time, not the number of people on board.
Steps to Solve
- Analyze the initial information
We know that 80 people correspond to a 20-minute train ride. Zara thinks that if the number of people doubles (to 160, not 120 as she states), the travel time will also double to 40 minutes.
- Evaluate Zara's reasoning
Zara's reasoning assumes a direct proportional relationship between the number of people and the travel time. In simpler terms, she's assuming the train takes longer solely because there are more people on board. This isn't realistic. The train's travel time is unlikely to be significantly affected by the number of passengers. 60 x 2 = 120 is an error. The initial number of people is 80 and the number doubles to 160.
- Provide a justified answer
I disagree with Zara. The number of people on the train is unlikely to impact the travel time. The train schedule and route determine how long the trip takes, not the number of passengers.
I disagree with Zara. The number of passengers on a train does not usually affect the travel time. The train's schedule, route, and speed determine the travel time, not the number of people on board.
More Information
In reality, a very large number of passengers could cause slight delays due to boarding/unboarding, but for a normal amount of passengers, it won't change travel time.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume that the travel time would double based on the increased number of passengers; however, this is incorrect, since the number of passengers does not change the travel time
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