SOLUTION: A plane flies 600 miles upwind in 3 hours. It makes the return trip in only 2 hours. What is the speed of the plane still in the air?

Question 690998: A plane flies 600 miles upwind in 3 hours. It makes the return trip in only 2 hours. What is the speed of the plane still in the air?
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Plane speed =x mph
wind speed =y mph
against wind 3 hours
with wind 2 hours

Distance with wind 600 miles distance against wind 600
t=d/r against wind (x-y)
600.00 / ( x - y )= 3.00

3.00 x - -3.00 y = 600.00 ....................1
with wind (x+y)
600.00 / ( x + y )= 2.00
2.00 ( x + y ) = 600.00
2.00 x + 2.00 y = 600.00 ...............2
Multiply (1) by 2.00
Multiply (2) by 3.00
we get y
6.00 x + -6.00 y = 1200.00
6.00 x + 6.00 = 1800.00
12.00 x = 3000.00
/ 12.00
x = 250 mph

plug value of x in (1) y
3 x -3 y = 600
750 -3 -750 = 600
-3 y = 600
-3 y = -150 mph
y = 50
Plane 250 mph
wind 50 mph

RELATED QUESTIONS
a plane flies 600 miles and makes the return trip. the jet stream on the plane in... (answered by josgarithmetic)

A plane flies 600 miles west (into the wind) and makes the return trip following the same (answered by jorel1380,Alan3354)

A plane flies 720 miles with the wind in 3 hours. the return trip (against the wind)... (answered by josgarithmetic,ikleyn,josmiceli)

A plane flies 264 miles with the wind in 2 hours. The return trip takes 3 hours. What is... (answered by Boreal)

A plane flies 600 miles with a tail wind in 2 hours. It takes the same plane 4 hours to... (answered by lwsshak3)

A plane flies 900km with a tail wind in 3 hours. The same plane takes 4 hours to make the (answered by ptaylor)

A plane flies 720 miles against the wind in 3 hours. The return trip with the wind takes... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

a plane flies 1440 miles with a tail wind in 4 hours. The plane makes the return trip... (answered by mananth)

A plane flies from Chicago to Los Angeles, A distance of 2000 miles, in 4 hours. It flies (answered by lwsshak3)