# Tractor problem [closed]

An old farmer was walking beside a tractor, which was driven by another farmer. The farmer driving the tractor was dragging a pipe behind him. The old farmer wants to figure out how long the pipe is. He starts by starting at the very end of the pipe (farthest away from the tractor) and walks forward until he reaches the other end of the pipe. This take 140 steps. He then walks back to the other end, which takes only 20 steps, as this time he is walking in the opposite direction of the tractor.

The tractor is moving constantly at a uniform speed. The farmer is also moving at a uniform speed, and each of his steps is one meter long.

How long is the pipe?

## closed as off-topic by Marco Bonelli, Len, Rand al'Thor, Ric, HaobinMar 29 '15 at 18:19

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "This question is off-topic as it appears to be a mathematics problem, as opposed to a mathematical puzzle. For more info, see "Are math-textbook-style problems on topic?" on meta." – Marco Bonelli, Len, Rand al'Thor, Ric, Haobin
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• Ehm.. another math-only based problem. – Marco Bonelli Mar 29 '15 at 17:27
• Problem with those problems? – Bretsky Mar 29 '15 at 17:31
• Take a look here – Marco Bonelli Mar 29 '15 at 17:32
• @MarcoBonelli since when you were been tracking math-only subjects , go to math.se there s way way deep problems worth to be called "mathematical dilemma", i think the op was doing well animating this website with such puzzles because , it looks like riddle and rebus tags are overcoming and crawlin over all the ground. – Abr001am Mar 29 '15 at 20:02
• @MarcoBonelli if you want to remove this math from this place so we have to rename it riddles-and-detective-mysteries . besides . maths are needed everywhere even a nutcracker works with maths – Abr001am Mar 29 '15 at 20:11

The pipe is

35 metres long.

Proof: let $F$ and $T$ be the speed of the old farmer and the tractor respectively, $L$ be the length of the pipe, and $t_1$, $t_2$ be the times taken by the old farmer to walk along the pipe in each direction.

The old farmer walks $140$ metres in time $t_1$; this includes both walking the length of the pipe and walking as far as the tractor moves in time $t_1$. So $140=Ft_1=L+Tt_1$.

Then he walks $20$ metres in time $t_2$; this includes walking the length of the pipe minus as far as the tractor moves in time $t_2$. So $20=Ft_2=L-Tt_2$.

We solve these two simultaneous equations by making the following deductions:

• $140=Ft_1$ and $20=Ft_2$, so $t_1=7t_2$
• $120=140-20=(L+Tt_1)-(L-Tt_2)=T(t_1+t_2)=8Tt_2$, so $Tt_2=15$
• $L=20+Tt_2=35$.
• I don't know why people are downvoting you for answering the question. Regardless of the fact that perhaps my question doesn't belong here, you still provided the right answer. – Bretsky Mar 29 '15 at 20:06
• @Bretsky I don't think it's anything to do with this particular answer or its quality. I've had 12 downvotes today on a wide variety of my posts. But thanks :-) – Rand al'Thor Mar 29 '15 at 20:47
• The down-voting may be because you also voted to close - considered "bad form" by some. – Joffan Mar 29 '15 at 21:18
• @Joffan Fair enough. It was fun to solve, and I did upvote the question ... but Marco Bonelli is right that it's off-topic for the site, so I decided after solving it that I should VTC. – Rand al'Thor Mar 30 '15 at 9:32