Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/78 - The Meeting Cars

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $78$

The Meeting Cars

The Crackhams made their first stop at Bugleminster, where they were to spend the night at a friend's house.

This friend was to leave home at the same time and ride to London to put up at the Crackhams' house.

They took the same route, and each car went at its own uniform speed.

They kept a look-out for one another, and met forty miles from Bugleminster.

George that evening worked out the following little puzzle:

"I find that if, on our respective arrivals, we had each at once proceeded on the return journey at the same speeds

we should meet $48$ miles from London."

If this were so, what is the distance from London to Bugleminster?

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Locomotion and Speed Puzzles: $78$. -- The Meeting Cars
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Speed & Distance Puzzles: $92$. The Meeting Cars