SOLUTION: With a wind behind it, Glenn's pigeon flies 72 miles from Santa Rosa to Cloverdale in 6 hours. The return trip takes 8 hours because the pigeon flies into the wind. If the wind spe

Question 738986: With a wind behind it, Glenn's pigeon flies 72 miles from Santa Rosa to Cloverdale in 6 hours. The return trip takes 8 hours because the pigeon flies into the wind. If the wind speed is the same on each trip, find the speed of the pigeon in still air and find the wind speed.

I know how to solve a system of equations, but i dont know how to set this word problem up. For this problem, i am required to provide two variables and two equations. Please help.
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
pigeon speed =x mph
wind speed =y mph
against wind 8 hours
with wind 6 hours

Distance against 72 miles distance with 72 miles
t=d/r against wind -
72 / ( x - y )= 8
8 ( x - y ) = 72
8 x - 8 y = 72 ....................1

72 / ( x + y )= 6
6 ( x + y ) = 72
6 x + 6 y = 72 ...............2
Multiply (1) by 3
Multiply (2) by 4
we get
24 x + -24 y = 216
24 x + 24 y = 288
48 x = 504
/ 48
x = 10.50 mph

plug value of x in (1) y
8 x -8 y = 72
84 -8 -84 = 72
-8 y = 72
-8 y = -12 mph
y = 1.50
pigeon speed 10.50 mph
wind speed 1.50 mph

m.ananth@hotmail.ca

RELATED QUESTIONS
With a wind behind it, Glenn's pigeon flies 72 miles from Santa Rosa to Cloverdale in 6... (answered by rothauserc)

With a strong head wind behind it, a jet flies 2400 miles from LA to Orlando in 4 hours... (answered by stanbon)

with a strong wind behind it, a United Airlines jet flies 2400 miles from Los Angeles to... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

With a strong wind behind it, a Delta jet flies 2400 miles from Los Angeles to Orlando in (answered by oberobic,josmiceli)

With a strong wind behind it, a united airlines jet flies 2400 miles from los angeles to... (answered by stanbon)

With a strong wind behind it, a jet flies 2400 miles from LA to Orlando in 4 3/4 hours.... (answered by Alan3354)

A plane flies 600 miles against a steady 40 mph headwind, and then returns to the same... (answered by mananth,lwsshak3)

A plane flies 1200 miles in 4 hours with the wind, but takes 5 hours to make the return... (answered by ewatrrr)

An airplane travels 1200 miles from san francisco to hawaii in 8 hours against the wind.... (answered by Alan3354)