The Eleven Plus and Motorbike

I was driving back home down an `A’ road this afternoon. A motorbike passed me on my passenger side. I had over taken the motorbike a little earlier – as it was peacefully sitting behind a small red van. The bike, with a pavilion passenger, suddenly accelerated and swept off ahead of my car down the road.

The passenger moved and bent her head. At least I thought it was a lady passenger because of the long hair swirling in the wind. She then twisted a little more and shifted her position on the seat. A quirk of fate slowed the lane the bike was in. I drew up beside the bike. The passenger was a lady and she was on her phone – either texting or dialling a number.

It is sometime difficult to see motorcyclists when they come up on a blind spot. Motorbikes sometimes, as happened today, overtake on the near side.  I have, however, never seen a passenger sitting almost sideways on the rear seat of a motorbike travelling at around sixty miles an hour working on a mobile phone!

Eleven Plus Question

A motorist starts from A at 11 o’clock intending to lunch at B, 100km away at 13.00. After half an hour he is held up by an accident involving a lorry and a motorbike – which delays him for 18 minutes. How fast must he then travel in order to arrive at B at the right time?

There is a cycle track beside the A road. A cyclist leaves B at 11.45 and rides towards A at a steady 20 km an hour.

Areas for your eleven plus child to look at:

What is a suitable scale as the `x’ axis covers time and the `y’ distance.

What is the point of origin?

Take into account the straight line between the origin and the arrival at B – but exclude the delay.

Now note the delay.

Does the car have to travel at around 62.5 km per hour or is there any need to speed?

Start the cyclist at 100 km away at 11.30.

Will the car wave at the cyclist at around 12.42?