At 11 a.m., Min and Kathy raced off together from the starting point of a route. Min ran at an average speed of 2 m/s. Kathy ran at an average speed of 3 m/s. Upon reaching the end of the route, Kathy rested for 6 minutes. She then immediately ran back along the same route at 3 m/s. At 11.50 a.m., Min met Kathy.

1. Find the total distance covered by the two runners when they met each other. Express your answer in km.
2. Find the length of the trail in km.

(a)
From 11 a.m. to 11.50 a.m. = 50 min

Duration that Min ran = 50 min
Duration that Kathy ran = 50 -  6 = 44 min

1 min = 60 s

44 min = 44 x 60 = 2640 s
50 min = 50 x 60 = 3000 s

Distance that Min ran
= 2 x 3000
= 6000 m

Distance that Kathy ran
= 3 x 2640
= 7920 m

Distance that Min and Kathy ran
= 6000 + 7920
= 13920 m

1000 m = 1 km

13920 m = 13920 ÷ 1000 = 13.92 km

(b)
Length of the trail
= 13.92 ÷ 2
= 6.96 km

Answer(s): (a) 13.92 km; (b) 6.96 km