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Time, speed and distance problems and work-rate problems keep eating your aptitude-test minutes. Is there one method that handles most of them?
Yes. Time, speed and distance and work-rate problems are the same equation, amount = rate × time. Rates add when things work together or move towards each other and subtract when they oppose; for work, set the job to the LCM of the times so each rate is a whole number of units.
4 min readUpdated 2026-10-10Target archetype: Enterprise Captive
Answer
Short answer
Yes: amount = rate × time. Time, speed and distance problems use distance as the amount; work-rate problems use the job. Rates add when two things work together or move towards each other, and subtract when they work against each other or move the same way. For work, set the job equal to the LCM of the completion times so every rate is a whole number.
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