Speed Distance Time Questions for SSC Exam

Speed Distance Time Questions are often asked in SSC exams like SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, and others. These questions are a part of the Quantitative Aptitude section and aim to test your problem-solving and analytical skills. In SSC exams, Speed Distance Time questions are sometimes asked in tricky ways or mixed with data interpretation. That’s why it's important to understand the basic concepts first, so you can solve them faster and with more confidence during an actual exam.
If you're preparing for the upcoming SSC examinations, you may find around 1 or 2 questions in the exam where you need to calculate distance and speed or use the distance and time formula. These are mostly word problems, and sometimes you have speed or time. So, if you have practiced such questions well, they become very easy to solve at that time. To get important Speed Distance Time Questions for better practice, keep reading.
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What is Speed Distance Time?
Speed Distance Time are three basic concepts that help us understand motion. They are all related. Whenever something moves, we can use these concepts to find out how fast it is going, how far it has traveled, and how much time it took. As much as these topics are important for SSC exams, they are also useful in daily life.
Speed tells us how fast something is moving. Distance shows the total path covered, and time tells us how long the movement took. Speed is usually written in units like meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), or miles per hour (mph). Let's now understand their formulas that are needed to calculate distance time speed in SSC exams.
Check Out: Mathematics Formula Book for SSC Exam
Important Formulas to Calculate Distance Time Speed
To solve Speed Distance Time questions in SSC exams, you must remember three main formulas. These formulas help you find any one value when the other two are known. They are very easy to use once you practice them properly. Here are the basic formulas to calculate Distance Time Speed:
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Speed = Distance ÷ Time
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Distance = Speed × Time
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Time = Distance ÷ Speed
Understanding Speed Distance Time Relationship
To solve questions correctly, it’s important to understand how Speed Distance Time are related to each other. These three are connected in different ways depending on which one stays constant. When one value remains the same, the other two change in a certain pattern.
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For example, if distance stays the same, then speed and time work opposite to each other. This means if speed increases, time decreases, and vice versa.
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If time is constant, then distance and speed increase or decrease together.
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And if speed remains the same, then distance and time also increase or decrease together.
Knowing these simple tricks will help you calculate distance and speed, including time-related questions, faster in SSC exams.
Check Out: SSC Previous year Papers
Speed Distance Time Questions for SSC Exam
To score well in SSC exams like CGL, CHSL, or MTS, it’s important to include Speed Distance Time questions in your daily study plan. These questions are part of the Quantitative Aptitude section and test your basic math and reasoning skills. Find out some common Speed Distance Time questions that can help you understand the pattern and improve your problem-solving speed. Try to solve them on your own before checking the answers.
Ques. If the total distance between two cities is 400 km and the time taken by a person to cover this distance is 8 hours, then find the speed of the person.
(a) 20 km/hr
(b) 30 km/hr
(c) 50 km/hr
(d) 40 km/hr
(e) None of these
Ques. If the distance between two places is 340 km and the time taken to reach from one place to another is 2 hours 50 minutes, then find the total speed in this journey.
(a) 80 km/hr
(b) 90 km/hr
(c) 110 km/hr
(d) 120 km/hr
(e) None of these
Ques. A car goes from A to B and again returns from B to A, and in this journey, the total time taken is 35 hours. If the distance between A and B is 210 km, then find the average speed of the car in this whole journey.
(a) 10 km/hr
(b) 13 km/hr
(c) 15 km/hr
(d) 12 km/hr
(e) None of these
Ques. The distance between the two places is x km, and the total time taken by the person to cover this distance is 1 hr 35 min. If the speed of the person is 240 km/hr, then find the value of x.
(a) 380 km
(b) 320 km
(c) 360 km
(d) 370 km
(e) None of these
Ques. The total distance between A and B is 240 km, and the average speed taken by a person to go from A to B and return back to A is 40 km/hr. Find the total time taken by the person to cover this distance.
(a) 10 hours
(b) 12 hours
(c) 15 hours
(d) 13 hours
(e) None of these
Ques. Rajat and Kabir start at the same time with speeds of 40 km/hr and 50 km/hr, respectively. If, in covering the journey, Rajat takes 15 minutes longer than Kabir, the total distance of the journey is
(a) 40 km
(b) 48 km
(c) 50 km
(d) 52 km
(e) None of these
Ques. The ratio of the speed of the car to the bus is 3:7, and the car starts from A at 8:30 AM and reaches B at 2.30 PM and the bus covers 340 km more than the distance covered by the car in 5 hours. Find the distance between A and B.
(a) 320 km
(b) 360 km
(c) 350 km
(d) 340 km
(e) None of the above
Ques. Nitin and Chaitanya, standing at a distance of 680 m, run towards each other at the speed of 8 m/sec and 9 m/sec, respectively. How much distance was covered by Chaitanya when they met in between?
(a) 360 m
(b) 340 m
(c) 370 m
(d) 380 m
(e) None of these
Ques. Resham and Shimank start walking towards each other at 10 am at speeds of 3 kmph and 4 kmph, respectively. They were initially 17.5 km apart. At what time do they meet?
(a) 2:30 pm
(b) 11:30 pm
(c) 1:30 pm
(d) 12:30 pm
(e) None of these
Ques. From school, Saumya and Ramya start cycling towards a playground which is 60 km away from school. The speed of Saumya is 10 km/hr more than the speed of Ramya. After reaching the playground, Saumya returns towards school and meets Ramya 12 km away from the playground. Find the speed of Ramya.
(a) 40 km/hr
(b) 15 km/hr
(c) 30 km/hr
(d) 20 km/hr
(e) 45 km/hr
Ques. Chandu leaves from his home at 4 AM and reaches the market at 6 AM. Another boy, Chhotu leaves from market at 5 AM and reaches Chandu’s home at 8 AM. Find the time when they meet.
(a) 6:20 AM
(b) 6:15 AM
(c) 5:45 AM
(d) 5:30 AM
(e) 5:36 AM
Ques. Kalia, a famous thief steals a mobile at 8 PM and starts running at a speed of 80 kmph. The theft came into light at 9 PM and police started to chase him at 9 PM at a speed of 100 kmph. At what time will he be caught?
(a) 2 AM
(b) 3 AM
(c) 12 PM
(d) 1 AM
(e) None of these
Ques. A person covers the distance of 200 km into two parts. He travelled first part in AC car and remaining distance in non AC car. If the rent of AC car and non AC car is ₹14 per km and ₹6 per km respectively and he paid total rent of ₹1360, find the distance travelled by him by non AC car.
(a) 150 km
(b) 170 km
(c) 190 km
(d) 180 km
(e) None of these
Ques. Car A covers a distance from point P to Q in 5 hours, and car B covers ¾th of the distance from point P to Q in 7.5 hours. If the speed of car B is increased by 9 km/hr, and then the same distance is covered in 6 hours, find the speed of car A.
(a) 68 km/hr
(b) 80 km/hr
(c) 72 km/hr
(d) 45 km/hr
(e) None of these
For more practice, you can also check the Speed Distance Time questions with answers PDF given below, which includes important exam-based questions to help you calculate distance by speed and apply the distance and time formula easily.
Important Speed Distance Time Questions With Answers PDF
Types of Speed Distance Time Questions Asked in SSC Exams
In SSC exams, speed, distance, and time questions are common, but they are asked in different types. You may get questions on average speed, meeting points, or delays due to speed changes. While the formulas stay the same, the question style changes. So, it's necessary to know the types and how to solve them easily.
Average Speed: This type of question asks you to find the average speed when a person travels a certain distance at different speeds. Formula for average speed: Average Speed = Total Distance / Total Time
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There are two special cases:
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When distance is the same while going and coming back, use this shortcut: Average speed = 2xy / (x + y). Here, x and y are the two speeds.
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When time is the same but speed changes, use this formula: Average speed = (x + y) / 2
For example, a person goes at 30 km/h and comes back at 120 km/h. The total time is 5 hours. So, the time taken to go is 4 hours and coming is 1 hour. Total Distance = 30 × 4 = 120 km.
Speed and Time are Inversely Proportional: This means that if speed increases, time decreases. And if speed decreases, time increases. If the speed ratio is m:n, then the time ratio will be n:m (opposite).
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For example, A train has an accident and moves at ¾ of its usual speed. It is 10 minutes late. If the accident had happened 10 km later, it would have been only 5 minutes late.
Using the time difference, we find that the usual speed of the train is 20 km/h.
This type of question checks your understanding of how speed and time affect each other.
Meeting Point Questions: These questions are about two people or vehicles moving toward each other from different places. When they meet:
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The time taken by both is the same.
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The distance covered is different depending on speed.
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The faster one will travel more distance.
For example, Amit drives at 60 km/h. Aman drives at 90 km/h.
If Amit takes 9 hours to reach Jaipur, how much time does Aman take?
Since Aman is faster, he will take less time.
Speed ratio = 60:90 = 2:3
Time ratio = 3:2
So Aman will take 6 hours.
Tips to Solve Speed Distance Time Questions
Speed, distance, and time questions are common in SSC exams. To solve them faster and correctly, you need to remember a few basic rules and tricks, as explained below.
Always Remember the Basic Formulas
Remember the main speed, distance and time formulas, which are:
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Speed = Distance ÷ Time
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Distance = Speed × Time
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Time = Distance ÷ Speed.
These are the basic formulas and are used in most questions. You can also remember the shortcut ‘DST,’ where D is for Distance, S for Speed, and T is for Time.
Use the Right Formula for Average Speed
When different parts of a journey are covered at different speeds and distances, use the average speed formula, which is:
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Average Speed = Total Distance ÷ Total Time.
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But if equal distances are covered at two different speeds, you can use a special formula for average speed: (2 × Speed 1 × Speed 2) ÷ (Speed 1 + Speed 2). This trick saves a lot of time in the exam.
Understand Relative Speed
You may encounter a question with two moving objects, like trains or cars. In such cases, Relative Speed becomes important. If the two objects are moving in the same direction, subtract the speeds. If they are moving toward each other, add the speeds. Then use the formula:
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Time = Distance ÷ Relative Speed
This formula helps in finding the time they will meet or overtake each other.
Read More: SSC Maths Syllabus and Important Topics
Train-Based Questions Tips
Train-based problems are also common in SSC exams. To solve them, understand one key thing: if a train passes a stationary object like a pole, the distance is equal to the length of the train.
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But if the train passes a platform, the total distance is the length of the train plus the length of the platform.
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Once you find out the distance, divide it by the speed to find the time taken.
Convert Units Correctly
Always check the units. For example, if speed is in km/h and distance is in meters, convert the speed to m/s by multiplying it by 5/18.
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Similarly, to convert m/s to km/h, multiply it by 18/5.
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Proper unit conversion helps avoid silly mistakes in exams.
Practice Speed Distance Time Questions on A Daily Basis
While preparing for SSC and other competitive exams, solving as many questions as possible is very important. Try different types of questions so that you get used to applying the distance and time formula in real situations.
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As you keep practicing, note down the formulas you use often. For example, to calculate distance by speed, the formula is: Distance = Speed × Time.
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And if you’re trying to calculate distance and speed together in word problems, practice helps you figure out quickly which values are given and what you need to find.
Regular practice helps you easily calculate distance time speed in tricky questions and saves time during the exam.
Solve SSC Previous Year Question Papers Religiously
SSC Game Changer Book are the most effective study materials to prepare for the exam. These papers help you understand the exact pattern of questions asked in the real exam. Many times, questions from topics like Speed Distance Time are repeated in different forms.
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Practicing SSC PYQs gives you a clear idea of what to expect and how to manage your time while solving. Also, these papers help you identify your weak areas.
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During preparation, if you find some types of questions difficult, you can go back and practice them again. This improves your overall preparation and helps you avoid common mistakes during the exam.
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Tip: Try solving at least one SSC previous year's paper every week. After solving, check your answers and note the questions you got wrong.
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Write down the speed, distance and time formula or trick used to solve those. This will help you remember the method better and improve your speed during the exam.
To make your SSC exam preparation easier and more fruitful, here are some books that have previous year questions (PYQs) arranged chapter-wise and topic-wise. These books give you a clear idea of which topics are important and how questions are framed in the actual exam. You can check out the books from the links below:
Books for SSC Exam Preparation |
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Speed Distance Time Questions FAQs
Q.1. What is Speed Distance Time?
Ans. Speed, distance, and time are connected with each other. Speed tells us how fast something is moving, distance tells us how far it travels, and time tells us how long it takes.
Q.2. How many questions from speed distance time are asked in SSC exams?
Ans. In SSC exams, you can expect around 1 to 2 questions from the Speed Distance Time topic. The number of questions may change slightly depending on the exam pattern.
Q.3. How to calculate distance time speed?
Ans. To calculate speed, distance, or time, you just need to use the right formulas, which are: Distance = Speed × Time; Speed = Distance ÷ Time; Time = Distance ÷ Speed.
Q.4. What formula to use to calculate distance by speed?
Ans. To calculate distance by speed, you can use the formula: Distance = Speed × Time. This means you multiply the speed of the object by the time it takes to travel.
Q.5. Where can I find practice sets for speed distance time questions with answers?
Ans. You can find practice sets for speed distance time questions along with their answers in the PDF that is shared in this article. It will help you understand the types of questions asked and how to solve them.


