The sign shows distances from a rest stop to the exits for different towns along a straight section of highway. The state department of transportation is planning to build a new exit to Freestone at the midpoint of the exits for Roseville and Edgewood. When the new exit is built, what will be the distance from the exit for Midtown to the exit for Freestone?

Midtown 17 mi.
Roseville 33 mi.
Edgewood 55 mi.
vertze vertze

When the new exit is built the distance from the exit for Midtown to the exit for Freestone will be miles.

Refer to the diagram shown below.

The exit for Freestone is built midway between Roseville and Edgewood,
therefore the distance from O to the new exit is
(1/2)*(33+55) = 44 mi.

Let x = distance from Midtown to the new exit.
Because the distance from O to the new exit is equal to (x + 17), therefore
x + 17 = 44
x = 44 - 17 = 27 mi.

Answer:
When the new exit is built, the distance from the exit for Midtown to the exit for Freestone will be 27 miles.