SOLUTION: A boat travels 6 miles in 2 hours upstream and 5 miles in 1 hour downstream. Find the speed of the boat and the speed of the current if both speeds are constant.

Question 751586: A boat travels 6 miles in 2 hours upstream and 5 miles in 1 hour downstream. Find the speed of the boat and the speed of the current if both speeds are constant.
Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A boat travels 6 miles in 2 hours upstream and 5 miles in 1 hour downstream. Find the speed of the boat and the speed of the current if both speeds are constant.
Upstream DATA:
distance = 6 miles ; time = 2 hrs ; rate = 6/2 = 3 mph
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Downstream DATA:
distance = 5 miles ; time = 1 hr ; rate = 5/1 = 5 mph
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Equations:
b + c = 5 mph
b - c = 3 mph
----
2b = 8
boat in still water = 4 mph
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Solve for "c":
b + c = 5
4 + c = 5
c = 1 mph (speed of the current)
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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