SOLUTION: A motarboat can maintain a constant speed of 50 mph relative to the water. the boat makes a trip upstream to a certain point in 51 minutes; the return trip takes 49 minutes. what i

Question 302176: A motarboat can maintain a constant speed of 50 mph relative to the water. the boat makes a trip upstream to a certain point in 51 minutes; the return trip takes 49 minutes. what is the speed of the current?
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
upstream it takes 51 minutes
let the speed of current be x mph
speed of boat will be 50-x
speed * time = distance
=(50-x) * 51/60
downstream it takes 49 minutes
speed of boat = 50+x
Distance = (50+x)*49/60
Since the distance traveled both ways is the same
(50-x)*51/60 = (50+x)*49/60
(50-x)*51 = (50+x)*49
2550-51x=2450+49x
2550-2450=51x+49x
100=100x
x=1 mph which is the speed of the current
Ananth

RELATED QUESTIONS
A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16 mph relative to the water. The boat makes (answered by mananth)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16mph relative to the water. The boat makes... (answered by josmiceli)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 50 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by lwsshak3)

a motor boat can maintain a constant speed of 16 miles per hour relative to the water.... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A motor boat can maintain a constant speed of 37 miles per hour relative to the water. (answered by josgarithmetic,MathTherapy)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 34 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by stanbon)

a motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16 mile per hour relative to the water. the... (answered by mananth)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by mananth)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 38 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by checkley79)