SOLUTION: Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current

Question 89871: Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current in mph?
Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current in mph?
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Let current speed be "c"; Let boat speed in still water be "b".
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Downstream DATA:
distance = 14 miles ; time = 2 hrs; rate = d/t = 7 mph
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Upstream DATA:
distance = 10 miles ; time = 2 hrs; rate = d/t = 5 mph
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EQUATIONS:
b+c = 7 mph
b-c = 5 mph
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Add the two to get:
2b = 12 mph
b = 6 mph (speed of the boat in still water)
c = 1 mph (speed of the current)
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Cheers,
Stan H.

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