This is an original preparation plan, not a new examination announcement. Check dates, stages, eligibility and application instructions in the issuing authority’s current notice.
01 / UNDERSTANDING
Plan your preparation
Learn ordinary speed-time-distance first. Add pole and platform cases in separate blocks, then combine them with same-direction and opposite-direction motion only after the event distances are reliable.
02 / UNDERSTANDING
The concept in context
A train passes a point only after its full length clears that point. Passing a platform requires travelling the train length plus platform length. When two trains pass each other, use their combined length with relative speed: add speeds for opposite directions and subtract for the same direction under the stated constant-motion assumptions.
03 / UNDERSTANDING
A worked learning case
Original educational case. An original 150-metre train moves at 54 km/h, equal to 15 m/s. Passing a pole takes 150/15 = 10 seconds. Clearing a 150-metre platform takes 300/15 = 20 seconds, because both lengths must pass the same reference edge. The speed is unchanged; the event definition changes the required distance.
ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE
Try it before you check.
Original practice: A 120 m train travels at 36 km/h. How long to pass a pole?
Show the answer and reasoning
12 seconds.
Convert 36 km/h to 10 m/s using 5/18. To pass a pole, the train travels its own 120-metre length, so time is 120 ÷ 10 = 12 seconds. No platform length is supplied or required. Using kilometres per hour directly with metres would create incompatible units and an incorrect result.
Two traps to watch for.
- Adding platform length when the reference is only a pole.
- Using ground speed instead of relative speed for two moving trains.
YOUR TOPIC-SPECIFIC LEARNING MAP
Build your next study session
Identify exactly what must be cleared.
Convert speed and length to compatible units.
Choose sum or difference for relative speed.
Explain the idea, apply it to a new situation, then check what changed in your reasoning.
BANKERS TUTORIAL · SOURCE NOTES
Keep the source alongside your notes.
Official links provide subject context and authoritative reference material. This guide’s explanation, scenario and question are original Bankers Tutorial learning content.
- www.ibps.in https://www.ibps.in/
- www.ibps.in https://www.ibps.in/index.php/faq/
For IBPS & RRB preparation, check the current official notice before relying on changing dates, rules or examination requirements.
