recall your d = rt, distance = rate * time
now, if say, by the time they meet, Mr Cunningham has travelled "d" miles, that means Mrs Cunningham must also had travelled "d" miles as well.
However, he left 3 hours earlier, so by the time he travelled "d" miles, and took say "t" hours, for her it took 3 hour less, because she started driving 3 hours later, so, she's been on the road 3 hours less than Mr Cunningham, so by the time they meet, Mrs Cunningham has travelled then "t - 3" hours.
[tex]\bf \begin{array}{lccclll}
&\stackrel{miles}{distance}&\stackrel{mph}{rate}&\stackrel{hours}{time}\\
&------&------&------\\
\textit{Mr Cunningham}&d&40&t\\
\textit{Mrs Cunningham}&d&80&t-3
\end{array}
\\\\\\
\begin{cases}
\boxed{d}=40t\\
d=80(t-3)\\
----------\\
\boxed{40t}=80(t-3)
\end{cases}
\\\\\\
\cfrac{40t}{80}=t-3\implies \cfrac{t}{2}=t-3\implies t=2t-6\implies 6=2t-t
\\\\\\
6=t[/tex]