Speed, Time & Distance MCQs With Answers
Trains, boats and journeys make up one of the most predictable question types in quantitative aptitude. These speed, time and distance MCQs cover converting km/h to m/s, trains crossing a pole, a man or a platform, relative speed, boats and streams with downstream and upstream speeds, average speed over a round trip, and late-and-early arrival problems. They are written for the arithmetic section of NTS, PPSC, FPSC, ETEA and armed forces tests.
Take a scored quiz instead →If a car travels 60 km in 1 hour, how far will it travel in 2.5 hours at the same speed?
• Calculation: Speed = 60 km/h. Distance = Speed * Time = 60 * 2.5 = 150 km.
If a car travels 200 km in 4 hours, what is its average speed?
Speed = Distance / Time = 200/4 = 50.
A boat travels at 10 km/h in still water. If the current is 2 km/h, the speed downstream is:
10 + 2 = 12.
A train 100m long passes a pole in 5 seconds. What is its speed?
Speed = 100/5 = 20 m/s. 20 * 18/5 = 72 km/h.
A car is traveling at 72 km/h. What is its speed in m/s?
72 * 5/18 = 20 m/s.
A train crosses a 300m long platform in 30 seconds and a 150m long platform in 20 seconds. Find the speed of the train.
Speed = (300-150)/(30-20) = 150/10 = 15 m/s. 15 * 18/5 = 54 km/h.
A car travels 400 km in 8 hours. What is the average speed?
400 / 8 = 50 km/h.
A man walks at 3 km/h for 2 hours and 4 km/h for 1 hour. Average speed?
Total dist=6+4=10. Total time=3. Speed=10/3=3.33.
A train 150m long moving at 54 km/h crosses a platform in 20 seconds. What is the length of the platform?
Speed = 54 km/h = 15 m/s. Distance = Speed * Time = 15 * 20 = 300m. Length of platform = 300 - 150 = 150m.
If a car travels 120 km in 2 hours, its speed is:
120/2 = 60.
A boat travels 16 km downstream in 2 hours and 8 km upstream in 2 hours. What is the speed of the boat in still water?
Downstream = 16/2 = 8 km/h. Upstream = 8/2 = 4 km/h. Boat speed = (8+4)/2 = 6 km/h.
A train crosses a pole in 10 seconds and a platform 150m long in 25 seconds. What is the length of the train?
Speed = L/10 = (L+150)/25 => 25L = 10L+1500 => 15L = 1500 => L=100.
A man walks at 4 km/h and reaches 10 minutes late. If he walks at 5 km/h, he reaches 5 minutes early. Distance to his destination?
Let D be distance. D/4 - D/5 = 15/60 = 1/4. D/20 = 1/4 => D=5 km.
A train 100m long is moving at 72 km/h. How long to cross a pole?
72 km/h = 20 m/s. 100/20 = 5s.
If a car covers 100 km in 2 hours, speed is:
100/2=50.
A car travels from A to B at 40 km/h and returns at 60 km/h. What is the average speed?
2xy/(x+y) = (2*40*60)/(100) = 4800/100 = 48.
If a car travels 20 km in 20 minutes, speed is:
20km/(1/3)h = 60 km/h.
A train 120m long passes a platform 130m long in 10 seconds. What is the speed of the train?
Total distance = 120+130=250m. Time = 10s. Speed = 250/10=25 m/s.
A man runs at 10 km/h. How much distance will he cover in 30 minutes?
Distance = Speed * Time = 10 * 0.5 = 5 km.
A car travels 60 km/h. How far in 15 minutes?
60 * (15/60) = 15 km.
A car covers 180 km in 2 hours 15 minutes. What is its average speed?
2 hours 15 minutes = 2.25 hours.
Speed = distance ÷ time = 180 ÷ 2.25 = 80 km/h.
A person covers a distance in 40 minutes at 45 km/h. What speed is required to cover it in 30 minutes?
Distance = 45 * (40/60) = 30 km. New speed = 30 / (30/60) = 60 km/h.
A car covers 120 km in 2 hours and 180 km in 3 hours. Average speed?
Total Dist = 300, Total Time = 5. Speed = 60.
A boat travels 12 km downstream in 2 hours and 8 km upstream in 4 hours. Speed of boat?
D=6, U=2. B=(6+2)/2=4.
Train 200m crosses pole in 20s. Speed?
200/20 = 10.
Boat down=10, stream=2. Still water?
B+2=10 => B=8.
A train travels 100 km in 2 hours and 150 km in 3 hours. What is its speed?
Total Distance = 250 km. Total Time = 5 h. Speed = 50 km/h.
A boat goes 15 km downstream in 3 hours and 12 km upstream in 4 hours. What is the stream speed?
Down = 5, Up = 3. Stream = (5-3)/2 = 1.
A train 150m long passes a pole in 15 seconds. Speed?
Speed = 150/15 = 10 m/s.
A boat goes 20 km downstream in 2 hours and 10 km upstream in 2 hours. Speed of boat?
Down = 10, Up = 5. Boat = (10+5)/2 = 7.5.
A car travels at 60 km/h for 2 hours and 80 km/h for 3 hours. What is the average speed?
Total distance = (60*2) + (80*3) = 120 + 240 = 360 km. Total time = 5 hours. Average speed = 360 / 5 = 72 km/h.
A man rows at 5 km/h in still water. If the stream is 1 km/h, what is his downstream speed?
Downstream = Speed + Stream = 5 + 1 = 6 km/h.
Speed = 72 km/h. Distance in 5 seconds?
72 km/h = 20 m/s. 20 * 5 = 100m.
Upstream speed = 3 km/h, stream = 1 km/h. Boat speed?
B - 1 = 3 => B=4.
A train 200m long passes a 300m long tunnel in 25 seconds. Find the speed of the train in km/h.
Total distance = 200 + 300 = 500m. Speed (m/s) = 500 / 25 = 20 m/s. Speed (km/h) = 20 * 18/5 = 72 km/h.
A train at 90 km/h crosses a pole in 10s. Length of train?
90 km/h = 25 m/s. 25 * 10 = 250m.
A boat goes 12 km upstream in 4 hours. Speed of stream is 1 km/h. Speed of boat?
Upstream speed = 12/4 = 3. B - 1 = 3 => B = 4.
A train 100m long passes a stationary man in 10s. Find speed in km/h.
Speed = 100/10 = 10 m/s. 10 * 18/5 = 36 km/h.
A swimmer swims 10 km upstream in 5 hours. Stream speed is 1 km/h. Swimmer speed in still water?
Upstream speed = 10/5 = 2 km/h. S - 1 = 2 => S = 3.
A train 150m long travels at 54 km/h. How long will it take to cross a pole?
Speed = 54 * (5/18) = 15 m/s. Time = Distance / Speed = 150 / 15 = 10 seconds.
A man can row 10 km/h in still water and the stream is 2 km/h. How long will it take to row 24 km downstream?
Downstream = 10+2 = 12 km/h. Time = 24/12 = 2 hours.
A train crosses a platform in 20s. If train speed is 72 km/h and length is 200m, find platform length.
Speed = 20 m/s. Dist = 20*20 = 400m. Platform = 400 - 200 = 200m.
A train 300 m long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Speed in m/s = 300 / 15 = 20 m/s. Speed in km/h = 20 * (18 / 5) = 72 km/h.
A man rows a boat 18 km downstream in 3 hours and 12 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the current.
Downstream speed = 18 / 3 = 6 km/h. Upstream speed = 12 / 3 = 4 km/h. Speed of current = 0.5 * (6 - 4) = 1 km/h.
A train running at 72 km/h crosses a 200 m long tunnel in 20 seconds. What is the length of the train?
Speed in m/s = 72 * (5/18) = 20 m/s. Total distance = Speed * Time = 20 * 20 = 400 m. Train length = 400 - 200 = 200 meters.
A boat travels 24 km upstream and 36 km downstream in 6 hours. If the speed of the stream is 2 km/h, find the speed of the boat in still water.
Let speed in still water be v. Upstream speed = v - 2, downstream speed = v + 2. Time: 24/(v-2) + 36/(v+2) = 6. Test v = 10: 24/8 + 36/12 = 3 + 3 = 6. So v = 10 km/h.
A 250 m long train crosses a platform 350 m long in 30 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Total distance = 250 + 350 = 600 m. Speed in m/s = 600 / 30 = 20 m/s. Speed in km/h = 20 * (18 / 5) = 72 km/h.
A boat travels 24 km downstream in 2 hours and 16 km upstream in 4 hours. Find the speed of the stream.
Downstream speed = 24 / 2 = 12 km/h. Upstream speed = 16 / 4 = 4 km/h. Speed of stream = 0.5 * (12 - 4) = 4 km/h.
A train 180 m long passes a telegraph pole in 9 seconds. What is its speed in km/h?
Speed in m/s = 180 / 9 = 20 m/s. Speed in km/h = 20 * (18 / 5) = 72 km/h.
A boat goes 20 km downstream in 1 hour and 20 km upstream in 2 hours. What is the speed of the boat in still water?
Downstream speed = 20 / 1 = 20 km/h. Upstream speed = 20 / 2 = 10 km/h. Speed of boat in still water = 0.5 * (20 + 10) = 15 km/h.
A train 200 m long passes a 300 m long platform in 20 seconds. Find the speed of the train in km/h.
Total distance = 200 + 300 = 500 m. Speed in m/s = 500 / 20 = 25 m/s. Speed in km/h = 25 * (18 / 5) = 90 km/h.
A man rows downstream at 18 km/h and upstream at 12 km/h. Find the speed of the man in still water.
Speed in still water = 0.5 * (Downstream + Upstream) = 0.5 * (18 + 12) = 15 km/h.
A train running at 54 km/h crosses a man walking in the same direction at 6 km/h in 15 seconds. Find the length of the train.
Relative speed = 54 - 6 = 48 km/h = 48 * (5/18) = 40/3 m/s. Length = Relative Speed * Time = (40/3) * 15 = 200 meters.
A boat travels 32 km upstream and 48 km downstream in 8 hours. If speed of current is 2 km/h, find boat speed in still water.
Let boat speed be v. Upstream speed = v - 2, downstream speed = v + 2. 32/(v-2) + 48/(v+2) = 8. Test v = 10: 32/8 + 48/12 = 4 + 4 = 8 hours. So speed = 10 km/h.
A car covers a distance of 480 km at a speed of 60 km/h and returns at a speed of 40 km/h. What is the average speed for the whole journey?
Average speed for equal distances = 2xy / (x + y) = 2(60)(40) / (60 + 40) = 4800 / 100 = 48 km/h.
A boat can travel 15 km downstream in 30 minutes. If the speed of the stream is 5 km/h, find the speed of the boat in still water.
Downstream speed = 15 km / 0.5 h = 30 km/h. Downstream speed = Boat speed + Stream speed => 30 = Boat speed + 5 => Boat speed = 25 km/h.
A train 150 m long passes a telegraph post in 12 seconds. How long will it take to cross a bridge 250 m long?
Speed = 150 / 12 = 12.5 m/s. Total distance to cross bridge = 150 + 250 = 400 m. Time = 400 / 12.5 = 32 seconds.
A train 300 meters long passes a platform 200 meters long in 25 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Total distance = 300 + 200 = 500 m. Speed in m/s = 500 / 25 = 20 m/s. Speed in km/h = 20 * (18 / 5) = 72 km/h.
A boat travels 24 km upstream in 4 hours and 36 km downstream in 3 hours. What is the speed of the current?
Upstream speed u = 24 / 4 = 6 km/h. Downstream speed v = 36 / 3 = 12 km/h. Current speed = (v - u) / 2 = (12 - 6) / 2 = 3 km/h.
A train covers a distance of 360 km at a uniform speed. If the speed had been 5 km/h more, it would have taken 1 hour less. What was the original speed?
Let speed be v. 360/v - 360/(v+5) = 1 => 360[5 / (v(v+5))] = 1 => v(v+5) = 1800 => v^2 + 5v - 1800 = 0 => (v + 45)(v - 40) = 0 => v = 40 km/h.
A man can row 6 km/h in still water. If the river flows at 2 km/h, it takes him 3 hours to row to a place and back. How far is the place?
Downstream speed = 6 + 2 = 8 km/h. Upstream speed = 6 - 2 = 4 km/h. Time: d/8 + d/4 = 3 => (d + 2d) / 8 = 3 => 3d / 8 = 3 => d = 8 km.
A train 240 m long passes a 260 m long platform in 25 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Total distance = 240 + 260 = 500 m. Speed = Distance / Time = 500 / 25 = 20 m/s. Speed in km/h = 20 * (18 / 5) = 72 km/h.
A motorboat whose speed in still water is 15 km/h goes 30 km downstream and returns in a total time of 4.5 hours. What is the speed of the stream?
Let stream speed be v. 30/(15+v) + 30/(15-v) = 4.5 => 30[(15-v + 15+v)/(225 - v^2)] = 4.5 => 30[30/(225 - v^2)] = 4.5 => 900 = 4.5(225 - v^2) => 200 = 225 - v^2 => v^2 = 25 => v = 5 km/h.
A man can row 9 km/h in still water. It takes him twice as long to row upstream as to row downstream. Find the speed of the stream.
Let stream speed be v. Downstream speed = 9 + v, Upstream speed = 9 - v. Time ratio: (9 + v) = 2(9 - v) => 9 + v = 18 - 2v => 3v = 9 => v = 3 km/h.
A train 150 meters long passes a telegraph post in 10 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Speed = Distance / Time = 150 / 10 = 15 m/s. Converting to km/h = 15 * (18 / 5) = 54 km/h.
A car covers a distance of 480 km in 8 hours. If its speed is increased by 20 km/h, how much time will it take to cover the same distance?
Original speed = 480 / 8 = 60 km/h. New speed = 60 + 20 = 80 km/h. New time = 480 / 80 = 6 hours.
A 200 m long train running at 54 km/h crosses a platform in 30 seconds. What is the length of the platform?
Speed = 54 * (5/18) = 15 m/s. Total distance = Speed * Time = 15 * 30 = 450 m. Platform length = 450 - 200 = 250 m.
A boat covers 24 km downstream in 3 hours. If speed of current is 2 km/h, find speed of boat in still water.
Downstream speed = 24 / 3 = 8 km/h. Downstream speed = Boat speed + Current speed => 8 = Boat speed + 2 => Boat speed = 6 km/h.
A train running at a speed of 90 km/h crosses a pole in 12 seconds. Find the length of the train.
Speed = 90 * (5/18) = 25 m/s. Length of train = Speed * Time = 25 * 12 = 300 m.
A boat goes 16 km downstream in 2 hours and 16 km upstream in 4 hours. What is the speed of the boat in still water?
Downstream speed (u) = 16/2 = 8 km/h. Upstream speed (v) = 16/4 = 4 km/h. Speed in still water = (u + v)/2 = (8 + 4)/2 = 6 km/h.
A man walks at 5 km/h for 2 hours and then runs at 10 km/h for 1 hour. What is his average speed?
Total distance = (5 * 2) + (10 * 1) = 10 + 10 = 20 km. Total time = 2 + 1 = 3 hours. Average speed = 20 / 3 = 6.67 km/h.
If a car covers a distance of 300 km in 5 hours, what is its speed in m/s?
Speed in km/h = 300 / 5 = 60 km/h. Speed in m/s = 60 * (5/18) = 300 / 18 = 16.67 m/s.
A car travels at 72 km/h. How many meters does it travel in 10 seconds?
Convert speed to m/s: 72 * (5/18) = 20 m/s. Distance = Speed * Time = 20 * 10 = 200 m.
A car covers 150 km in 3 hours. What is its speed in meters per second (m/s)?
Speed in km/h = 150 / 3 = 50 km/h. Convert to m/s by multiplying by 5/18: 50 * (5/18) = 250 / 18 = 13.88 m/s.
A train 150 m long passes a telegraph post in 9 seconds. What is the speed of the train in km/h?
Speed = Distance / Time = 150 / 9 m/s = 50/3 m/s. In km/h = (50/3) * (18/5) = 60 km/h.
A train 200 meters long traveling at 72 km/h crosses a platform in 25 seconds. What is the length of the platform?
Speed in m/s = 72 * (5/18) = 20 m/s. Total distance = Speed * Time = 20 * 25 = 500 m. Total distance = Train length + Platform length => 500 = 200 + Platform length => Platform length = 300 m.
A man walks at 5 km/h for 2 hours and then runs at 10 km/h for 3 hours. What is his average speed?
Total distance = (5*2) + (10*3) = 10 + 30 = 40 km. Total time = 2 + 3 = 5 hours. Average speed = 40 / 5 = 8 km/h.
A boat goes 12 km downstream in 2 hours and returns upstream in 4 hours. What is the speed of the stream?
Downstream speed = 12 / 2 = 6 km/h. Upstream speed = 12 / 4 = 3 km/h. Stream speed = (Downstream - Upstream) / 2 = (6 - 3) / 2 = 1.5 km/h.
If a car covers a distance of 360 km in 4 hours, what is its speed in meters per second (m/s)?
First, calculate speed in km/h using Speed = Distance / Time = 360 / 4 = 90 km/h. To convert km/h to m/s, multiply by 5/18. Speed in m/s = 90 × (5/18) = 5 × 5 = 25 m/s.
A person covers a distance of 150 km in 2.5 hours. What is his speed in km/h?
Speed = Distance / Time = 150 / 2.5 = 60 km/h.
A train running at 90 km/h crosses a 200 m long platform in 20 seconds. What is the length of the train?
Speed in m/s = 90 * (5/18) = 25 m/s. Total distance = Speed * Time = 25 * 20 = 500 m. Train length = 500 - 200 = 300 m.
Two cars leave a city at the same time in opposite directions at 60 km/h and 80 km/h. After how many hours are they 350 km apart?
Relative speed (opposite) = 60 + 80 = 140 km/h. Time = 350 / 140 = 2.5 hours.
A boat goes 12 km downstream in 2 hours and 12 km upstream in 3 hours. What is the speed of the current?
Downstream speed = 12 / 2 = 6 km/h. Upstream speed = 12 / 3 = 4 km/h. Speed of current = (6 - 4) / 2 = 1 km/h.
A train 200 m long running at 72 km/h passes a standing man in how many seconds?
Speed in m/s = 72 * (5/18) = 20 m/s. Time = Distance / Speed = 200 / 20 = 10 seconds.
A car travels 180 km in 3 hours. What is its speed in meters per second (m/s)?
Speed in km/h = 180 / 3 = 60 km/h. Speed in m/s = 60 * (5/18) = 300 / 18 = 16.67 m/s.
Two friends start moving towards each other from points 100 km apart at speeds of 20 km/h and 30 km/h. How long before they meet?
Relative speed = 20 + 30 = 50 km/h. Time to meet = 100 / 50 = 2 hours.
A cyclist covers 40 km at 20 km/h and another 40 km at 10 km/h. What is the average speed for the whole journey?
Total Distance = 80 km. Total Time = 40/20 + 40/10 = 2 + 4 = 6 hours. Average Speed = 80 / 6 = 13.33 km/h.
A walking speed of 5 km/h causes a student to miss the bus by 10 minutes. At 6 km/h, he arrives 5 minutes early. What is the distance?
Time diff = 15 mins = 1/4 hr. Equation: d/5 - d/6 = 1/4 => d/30 = 1/4 => d = 30/4 = 7.5 km.
How many seconds does a train 150 m long running at 54 km/h take to cross a platform 250 m long?
Total distance = 150 + 250 = 400 m. Speed = 54 * (5/18) = 15 m/s. Time = 400 / 15 = 26.67 seconds.