How Many Steps Visible on an Inactive Escalator?

[viren_t2005]

An escalator is descending at constant speed . A walks down and takes 50 steps to reach the bottom. B runs down and takes 90 steps in the same time as A takes 10 steps. How many steps are visible when the escalator is not operating?

 

[HallsofIvy]

You have posted 7 problems in a row without showing any attempt to do them yourself! The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics- yourself!

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

The number of steps visible on an inactive escalator can vary depending on the design and length of the escalator. However, in this scenario, we can calculate the number of visible steps by using the information provided.

First, we can determine the speed at which the escalator is descending by dividing the total number of steps taken by A (50) by the time it took (10 steps). This gives us a speed of 5 steps per unit time.

Next, we can calculate the time it took for B to take 90 steps by using the speed calculated above. This gives us a total time of 18 units.

Since A and B took the same amount of time to reach the bottom of the escalator, we can set up a proportion to determine the number of steps visible when the escalator is not operating.

A's time: B's time = A's steps: B's steps
10:18 = 50:x
x = 90

Therefore, when the escalator is not operating, there are 90 steps visible. This is because B took 90 steps in the same amount of time that A took 10 steps, indicating that the escalator moves 9 steps for every 1 step taken by a person.