SOLUTION: Sara's river boat travels downstream 16 miles in 2 hours. It returns the same distance upstream in 3 hours. Find the rate of the boat in still water and the rate of the current. Pl

Question 36054: Sara's river boat travels downstream 16 miles in 2 hours. It returns the same distance upstream in 3 hours. Find the rate of the boat in still water and the rate of the current. Please explain how to get the answer. Thank you
Answer by venugopalramana(3286) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
SEE THIS WHICH IS SIMILAR TO YOUR PROBLEM AND SOLVE
YOUR PROBLEM...NOTE THAT STILL WATER MEANS VELOCITY OF STREAM=0
A boat travels at the speed of 20 Miles per hour in
still water. It travels 48 miles up stream, and then
returns to the starting point in a total of five
hours. The speed of the current is ____ miles per
hour.
distance =speed * time..or...time=distance/speed
Still water speed of boat =20 mph
let the stream velocity be =x mph
so its speed upstream =20-x
its speed down stream =20+x
distance travelled either way =48 miles
time taken to travel upstream=48/(20-x)
time taken to travel down stream =48/(20+x)
total time of travel =5 hours..hence
[48/(20-x)]+[48/(20+x)]=5
48[(20+x+20-x)/((20-x)(20+x))]=5
48*40=5(20^2-x^2)=2000-5x^2
5x^2=2000-1920=8=
x^2=80/5=16
RELATED QUESTIONS
Solve the problem. A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns... (answered by checkley77)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by checkley71)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by orca)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by gonzo)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by dukesmart)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by checkley77)

A cruise boat travels 48 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by richwmiller)

A cruise boat travels 12 miles downstream in 3 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours.... (answered by jim_thompson5910)

a cruise boat travels 84 miles downstream in 2 hours and returns upstream in 6 hours find (answered by checkley75,josmiceli,JohnsenP)