SOLUTION: With Current, a motorboat travels 60 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it takes 2h longer to travel 60 mi. Find the rate of the current.

Question 132751: With Current, a motorboat travels 60 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it takes 2h longer to travel 60 mi. Find the rate of the current.
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Rate of the boat in still water:
Rate of the current:
Then:
Rate of the boat with the current:
Rate of the boat against the current:

But we know that , so the rate of the boat with the current is , and the rate of the boat against the current is , so:

Add the two equations term by term to eliminate

Since , , and finally

Check:
16 + 4 = 20 mph times 3 hours = 60 miles
16 - 4 = 12 mph times (3 + 2) hours = 60 miles
Answer checks.
RELATED QUESTIONS
With the current, a motorboat travels 60 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it takes 2 h... (answered by Paul)

With the current, a motorboat travels 60 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it takes 2 h... (answered by checkley71)

With the current, a motorboat travels 60 miles in 3 hours, against the current it takes 2 (answered by mananth)

A motorboat traveling with the current went 60 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it took 5... (answered by scott8148)

A motorboat traveling with the current went 6 mi in 1 h. Against the current, it took 3 h (answered by checkley79)

A motorboat traveling with the current went 48 mi in 2 h. Traveling against the current,... (answered by mananth)

A motorboat traveling with the current went 75 mi in 3 h. Against the current, it took 5... (answered by ikleyn)

A motorboat traveling with the current went 105 mi in 5 h. Traveling against the... (answered by josgarithmetic)

A motor boat traveling with the current can go 36 mi in 2 hr. Against the current it... (answered by richwmiller)