Not trying to “but acktually” you, however, this is more or less how I calculate the optimal time to take a pit stop in a lap-based auto race. I have a little spreadsheet widget that I made to be able to plug the numbers in, but the problem is simply stated:
If old tires decrease my speed, and making a pit stop takes time, when should I stop.
Agreed that elementary school word problems are dumb, though.
If you don't like it or aren't good at doing it even while not liking it, the problem is not the problem.
I have no sympathy for this complaint.
Back when I took calculus in high school, my teacher explained how traffic speed cameras used mean value theorem to prove a car exceed the speed limit.
Here, there's an actual problem, actual actors and observers, and a motivation.
It answers the question why is this useful to know, or to be able to answer.
This is trivially resolved with "and the first train is carrying an urgent package for a passenger on the second train. When will the trains meet to deliver the package?".
But on the exam form, that's just extra irrelevant noise.