A freight ship left port and was sailing due West at 24 knots. The steamship Empress Ann sailing due West at 32 knots left the same port 3 hours later. For how many hours had the steamship been traveling when the two ships had traveled exactly the same distance?

Let F be the distance traveled by the freight ship and E be the distance traveled by the steamship.

F = 24t

E = 32 (t - 3); t > 3 because the steamship departed with a 3 hour delay.

F and E will become equal when the ships have traveled the same distance.

24t = 32 (t - 3)

24t = 32t - 96

8t = 96

t = 12 hours

After 12 hours, the ships will have traveled the exact same distance from the port.