September 2, 2026
Are you looking for IPMAT time speed distance questions to improve your speed and accuracy? If yes, then you are in the right place.
Time, Speed and Distance is one of those Quant topics that can either be very easy or suddenly become confusing. The basic formula is simple: Distance = Speed × Time.
But IPMAT questions rarely stop there. You may have to deal with trains, relative speed, average speed, boats and streams, or two people travelling in opposite directions. Sometimes the calculation is straightforward, but the wording makes it look harder than it is.
That is why practising IPMAT Time Speed Distance Questions is important. You need to be comfortable with the formulas, but more importantly, you need to know which approach to use when the question changes.
In this article, we cover the important formulas, shortcuts, solved examples, preparation strategy, common mistakes and practice questions for Time, Speed Distance Questions for IPMAT.
Time Speed, and Distance fall under the Quantitative Ability section of IPMAT preparation. The questions are generally based on the relationship between three basic quantities:
Distance = Speed × Time
From this:
Speed = Distance / Time
Time = Distance / Speed
These three relationships form the foundation of almost every IPMAT Time Speed, Distance Question. The difficulty usually comes when another condition is added.
Q1. A and B cover the same distance. The ratio of their speeds is 5 : 7. B completes the journey 24 minutes before A. How long does A take to finish the journey?
A. 72 minutes
B. 78 minutes
C. 84 minutes
D. 96 minutes
Correct Answer: C. 84 minutes
Q2. A traveller completes three equal parts of a journey at speeds of 30 km/h, 45 km/h and 90 km/h. What is his average speed over the complete journey?
A. 40 km/h
B. 42 km/h
C. 45 km/h
D. 48 km/h
Correct Answer: C. 45 km/h
Q3. A train passes a stationary person in 12 seconds. When it crosses a platform 240 m long, the time taken is 24 seconds. Find the speed of the train.
A. 54 km/h
B. 60 km/h
C. 72 km/h
D. 90 km/h
Correct Answer: C. 72 km/h
Q4. Two runners are standing at the same point on a 400 m circular track. They begin running in opposite directions at 6 m/s and 4 m/s, respectively. How soon will they meet?
A. 30 seconds
B. 35 seconds
C. 40 seconds
D. 45 seconds
Correct Answer: C. 40 seconds
Q5. In a 300 m race, A finishes 30 m ahead of B. A takes 15 seconds to complete the race. Assuming both runners maintain constant speeds, how long does B take to finish?
A. 15.5 seconds
B. 16 seconds
C. 16â…” seconds
D. 17 seconds
Correct Answer: C. 16â…” seconds
Q6. A bus has a running speed of 60 km/h. However, including the time spent at stops, its average speed over a journey works out to 48 km/h. In every hour, approximately how long is the bus stationary?
A. 10 minutes
B. 12 minutes
C. 15 minutes
D. 18 minutes
Correct Answer: B. 12 minutes
Q7. A boat covers a particular stretch of river in 8 hours while travelling upstream. The same stretch takes only 5 hours when the boat travels downstream. What is the ratio of the boat's speed in still water to the speed of the current?
A. 11 : 3
B. 13 : 3
C. 13 : 5
D. 8 : 3
Correct Answer: B. 13 : 3
Q8. A and B are 300 km apart. A sets off towards B at 60 km/h. Half an hour later, B starts towards A at 40 km/h. At what time, measured from A's departure, will they meet?
A. 3 hours
B. 3 hours 10 minutes
C. 3 hours 12 minutes
D. 3 hours 20 minutes
Correct Answer: C. 3 hours 12 minutes
Q9 A 120 m long train passes a man standing beside the track in 6 seconds. It then meets a 180 m long train travelling in the opposite direction and takes 10 seconds to cross it completely. What is the speed of the second train?
A. 30 km/h
B. 36 km/h
C. 42 km/h
D. 48 km/h
Correct Answer: B. 36 km/h
Q10. A person normally walks to his office at 5 km/h. On some days, he cycles at 15 km/h and reaches the office 40 minutes earlier. Assuming there are no delays in either case, find the distance from his home to his office.
A. 4 km
B. 5 km
C. 6 km
D. 7.5 km
Correct Answer: B. 5 km
Keep these formulas handy while preparing Time Speed Distance Questions for IPMAT.
| Concept | Formula |
|---|---|
| Distance | Distance = Speed × Time |
| Speed | Speed = Distance / Time |
| Time | Time = Distance / Speed |
| Average Speed | Total Distance / Total Time |
| Relative Speed – Same Direction | Difference of speeds |
| Relative Speed – Opposite Direction | Sum of speeds |
| Speed Conversion | 1 m/s = 18/5 km/h |
| Speed Conversion | 1 km/h = 5/18 m/s |
| Distance Covered | Speed × Time |
| Time Taken | Distance / Speed |
| Train Crossing a Pole | Train length / Speed |
| Train Crossing a Platform | (Train length + Platform length) / Speed |
| Boat Downstream Speed | Speed of boat + Speed of stream |
| Boat Upstream Speed | Speed of boat − Speed of stream |
| Average Speed for Equal Distances | 2xy / (x + y) |
Here are the shortcuts that you can learn to solve the time, speed and distance questions easily:
| Shortcut | How to Use |
|---|---|
| Speed increases by x% | New Time = Old Time × 100/(100 + x) |
| Speed decreases by x% | New Time = Old Time × 100/(100 − x) |
| Time increases by x% | New Speed = Old Speed × 100/(100 + x) |
| Time decreases by x% | New Speed = Old Speed × 100/(100 − x) |
| Speed ratio | If speeds are in the ratio a:b, times for the same distance are in the ratio b:a |
| Same distance | Speed and time are inversely proportional |
| Same time | Distance and speed are directly proportional |
| Two people moving towards each other | Use the sum of their speeds |
| Two people moving in the same direction | Use the difference of their speeds |
| Train + pole | Consider only the train's length |
| Train + platform | Add train length and platform length |
| Train + train | Add both train lengths |
| Equal distances at different speeds | Use 2xy/(x+y) for average speed |
| km/h to m/s | Multiply by 5/18 |
| m/s to km/h | Multiply by 18/5 |
| Downstream vs upstream | Add stream speed downstream; subtract it upstream |
| Relative speed | Decide direction first, then add or subtract speeds |
If you are not comfortable with this topic yet, don't immediately start solving difficult questions.
Build it in stages.
1. Start With the Basics
First, learn the common formulas to find the distance, speed and time.
Then practise direct questions.
Once these become automatic, move to application-based problems.
Time Speed Distance questions often involve ratios.
For example, a question may tell you that one person's speed is 25% more than another person's speed and then ask how their travel times compare.
Strong percentage and ratio skills make these questions much easier.
For additional practice, you can refer to the IPMAT Ratio and Proportion Questions, which cover ratio-based applications and speed-related problems.
Your practice should include:
This variety matters because the wording can change even when the underlying concept stays the same.
Once your basics are clear, move to previous-year questions.
IPMAT PYPs can help you understand how Quant questions are framed in the actual exam.
The trick to solving IPMAT Time Speed Distance Questions is not memorising a long list of formulas.
Start with the basic formulas, practise each question type separately and then move to mixed sets. Finally, test yourself using previous-year IPMAT questions and timed mocks.
If you are searching for Time Speed Distance Questions for IPMAT, don't just look for more questions. Look for better practice questions that make you think, calculate and choose the right method under time pressure.
And if you are looking for an IPMAT Time Speed Distance Questions PDF with Answers, use it as a practice tool, not just a collection of questions. Attempt first, check the answers later, and keep track of the mistakes you repeat.
With consistent practice, Time Speed Distance can become one of the topics where you pick up marks without spending too much time on each question.
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