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Free Time, Speed and Distance MCQs with Answers

112 Time, Speed and Distance MCQs from Mathematics, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Problems relate distance, speed and time through the formula distance = speed × time, including unit conversion, average speed, relative speed and motion in opposite or the same direction. Questions may involve trains, boats and streams, where the effective speed changes, so average speed must not be confused with the simple average of two speeds.

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112 questions · page 4 of 6

61. A person can row at 9 kmph and still water. He takes 4 1/2 hours to row from A to B and back. What is the distance between A and B if the speed of the stream is 1 kmph?

  • A. 32 km
  • B. 25 km
  • C. 28 km
  • D. 24 km
  • E. None of these

Explanation: The downstream speed is 9 km/hr + 1 km/hr = 10 km/hr and the upstream speed is 9 km/hr - 1 km/hr = 8 km/hr.

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Correct answer: None of these

62. The speed at which a man can row a boat in still water is 15 kmph. If he rows downstream, where the speed of current is 3 kmph, what time will he take to cover 60 metres?

  • A. 10 seconds
  • B. 15 seconds
  • C. 20 seconds
  • D. 12 seconds
  • E. None of these

Explanation: The downstream speed is 15 km/hr + 3 km/hr = 18 km/hr. Converting this gives 18 km/hr = 5 m/sec, so the time for 60 metres is 60 m ÷ 5…

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Correct answer: 12 seconds

63. A boat is rowed downstream at 15.5km/hr and upstream at 8.5 km/hr. The speed of the stream is________?

  • A. 3.5km/hr
  • B. 5.75km/hr
  • C. 6.5km/hr
  • D. 7km/hr

Explanation: The difference between downstream and upstream speeds is caused by twice the stream speed.

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Correct answer: 3.5km/hr

64. A man can row downstream at 18 kmph and upstream at 10 kmph. Find the speed of the man in still water and the speed of stream respectively?

  • A. 13, 3
  • B. 12, 6
  • C. 15, 3
  • D. 14, 4

Explanation: The still-water speed is the average of the downstream and upstream speeds: (18 km/hr + 10 km/hr) ÷ 2 = 14 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 14, 4

65. A man can row 30 km downstream and 20 km upstream in 4 hours. He can row 45 km downstream and 40 km upstream in 7 hours. Find the speed of man in still water?

  • A. 15 kmph
  • B. 10 kmph
  • C. 12 kmph
  • D. 12.5 kmph
  • E. None of these

Explanation: Let the downstream and upstream speeds be x km/hr and y km/hr. The equations are 30 km/x km/hr + 20 km/y km/hr = 4 hours and 45 km/x km/hr…

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Correct answer: 12.5 kmph

66. The time taken by a man to row his boat upstream is twice the time taken by him to row the same distance downstream. If the speed of the boat in still water is 42 kmph, find the speed of the stream?

  • A. 12 kmph
  • B. 13 kmph
  • C. 14 kmph
  • D. 15 kmph

Explanation: For the same distance, time is inversely proportional to speed. The condition gives 1/(42 km/hr - s) = 2/(42 km/hr + s), so 42 km/hr + s =…

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Correct answer: 14 kmph

67. A man can row a boat at 20 kmph in still water. If the speed of the stream is 6 kmph, what is the time taken to row a distance of 60 km downstream?

  • A. 20/6 hours
  • B. 27/2 hours
  • C. 30 hours
  • D. 30/13 hours

Explanation: The downstream speed is 20 km/hr + 6 km/hr = 26 km/hr. Therefore, time = 60 km ÷ 26 km/hr = 30/13 hours, approximately 2.31 hours.

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Correct answer: 30/13 hours

68. A man rows his boat 85 km downstream and 45 km upstream, taking 2 1/2 hours each time. Find the speed of the stream?

  • A. 5 kmph
  • B. 6 kmph
  • C. 7 kmph
  • D. 8 kmph

Explanation: The downstream speed is 85 km ÷ 2.5 hours = 34 km/hr, and the upstream speed is 45 km ÷ 2.5 hours = 18 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 8 kmph

69. The speed of a boat in upstream is 60 kmph and the speed of the boat downstream is 80 kmph. Find the speed of the boat in still water and the speed of the stream?

  • A. 70, 10 kmph
  • B. 35, 27 kmph
  • C. 50, 60 kmph
  • D. 45, 55 kmph

Explanation: When upstream and downstream speeds are known, the still-water speed is their average: (60 km/hr + 80 km/hr) ÷ 2 = 70 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 70, 10 kmph

70. The speed of a boat in still water is 60kmph and the speed of the current is 20kmph. Find the speed downstream and upstream?

  • A. 35, 25 kmph
  • B. 80, 40 kmph
  • C. 40, 60 kmph
  • D. 50, 55 kmph

Explanation: Downstream motion adds the current speed to the still-water speed, so 60 km/hr + 20 km/hr = 80 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 80, 40 kmph

71. The current of a stream at 1 kmph. A motor boat goes 35 km upstream and back to the starting point in 12 hours. The speed of the motor boat in still water is_________?

  • A. 6 kmph
  • B. 7 kmph
  • C. 8.5 kmph
  • D. 8 kmph

Explanation: Let the still-water speed be v km/hr. The round-trip equation is 35 km/(v - 1 km/hr) + 35 km/(v + 1 km/hr) = 12 hours.

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Correct answer: 6 kmph

72. A man whose speed is 4.5 kmph in still water rows to a certain upstream point and back to the starting point in a river which flows at 1.5 kmph, find his average speed for the total journey?

  • A. 8 kmph
  • B. 4 kmph
  • C. 2 kmph
  • D. 10 kmph

Explanation: The upstream speed is 4.5 km/hr - 1.5 km/hr = 3 km/hr, and the downstream speed is 4.5 km/hr + 1.5 km/hr = 6 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 4 kmph

73. The current of a stream runs at the rate of 4 kmph. A boat goes 6 km and back to the starting point in 2 hours, then find the speed of the boat in still water?

  • A. 10 kmph
  • B. 21 kmph
  • C. 8 kmph
  • D. 12 kmph

Explanation: Let the still-water speed be v km/hr. The round-trip equation is 6 km/(v - 4 km/hr) + 6 km/(v + 4 km/hr) = 2 hours, which simplifies to…

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Correct answer: 8 kmph

74. A man can row 6 kmph in still water. When the river is running at 1.2 kmph, it takes him 1 hour to row to a place and black. What is the total distance traveled by the man?

  • A. 6.24 km
  • B. 6 km
  • C. 5.76 km
  • D. 5.66 km

Explanation: The downstream and upstream speeds are 6 km/hr + 1.2 km/hr = 7.2 km/hr and 6 km/hr - 1.2 km/hr = 4.8 km/hr.

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Correct answer: 5.76 km

75. A man can row 6 kmph in still water. When the river is running at 1.2 kmph, it takes him 1 hour to row to a place and black. How far is the place?

  • A. 3.12 km
  • B. 2.88 km
  • C. 3 km
  • D. 2 km

Explanation: The downstream and upstream speeds are 7.2 km/hr and 4.8 km/hr. For one-way distance d km, d/(7.2 km/hr) + d/(4.8 km/hr) = 1 hour, so…

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Correct answer: 2.88 km

76. A man swims downstream 72 km and upstream 45 km taking 9 hours each time; what is the speed of the current?

  • A. 3 kmph
  • B. 1.5 kmph
  • C. 13 kmph
  • D. 6.5 kmph

Explanation: The downstream speed is 72 km ÷ 9 h = 8 km/h, and the upstream speed is 45 km ÷ 9 h = 5 km/h.

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Correct answer: 1.5 kmph

77. A man swims downstream 30 km and upstream 18 km taking 3 hours each time, what is the speed of the man in still water?

  • A. 2 kmph
  • B. 8 kmph
  • C. 16 kmph
  • D. 4 kmph

Explanation: The downstream speed is 30 km ÷ 3 h = 10 km/h, while the upstream speed is 18 km ÷ 3 h = 6 km/h.

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Correct answer: 8 kmph

78. A boat can move upstream at 25 kmph and downstream at 35 kmph, then the speed of the current is_________?

  • A. 5 kmph
  • B. 10 kmph
  • C. 30 kmph
  • D. 15 kmph

Explanation: For a boat, downstream speed equals boat speed plus current speed, while upstream speed equals boat speed minus current speed.

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Correct answer: 5 kmph

79. A man can row upstream at 25 kmph and downstream at 35 kmph, and then find the speed of the man in still water?

  • A. 60 kmph
  • B. 10 kmph
  • C. 30 kmph
  • D. 5 kmph

Explanation: The still-water speed is the average of the downstream and upstream speeds because the current is added in one direction and subtracted in…

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Correct answer: 30 kmph

80. A man can row with a speed of 15 kmph in still water. If the stream flows at 5 kmph, then the speed in downstream is________?

  • A. 10 kmph
  • B. 5 kmph
  • C. 20 kmph
  • D. 22 kmph

Explanation: Downstream motion combines the man's still-water speed with the stream speed. Hence, downstream speed = 15 km/h + 5 km/h = 20 km/h.

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Correct answer: 20 kmph
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