SOLUTION: A boat traveled downstream a distance of 36 mi and then came right back. If the speed of the current was 12 mph and the total trip took 4 hour find the average speed of the boat re

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Question 1141775: A boat traveled downstream a distance of 36 mi and then came right back. If the speed of the current was 12 mph and the total trip took 4 hour find the average speed of the boat relative to the water.
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, josgarithmetic:
Answer by ikleyn(52787)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Answer by josgarithmetic(39617)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
r, unknown speed of boat without current
C=12, speed of current
T=4, total trip time
D=36, distance traveled in each direction 
                SPEED        TIMES            DISTANCE

DOWNSTREAM        r+C         D/(r+C)             D

UPSTREAM         r-C          D/(r-C)            D

TOTALS                       T


Solve for r, and then substitute the given values.

Algebra steps may lead to:

If substitute the given values here, then .
You may find this factorable as .

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