SOLUTION: A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16 miles per hour in still water. The boat makes a certain trip upstream in 20 minutes; the return trip takes 15 minutes. What is the s

Question 769712: A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 16 miles per hour in still water. The boat makes a certain trip upstream in 20 minutes; the return trip takes 15 minutes. What is the speed of the current?

Answer by josmiceli(19441) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let = the speed of the current
Let = the one-way distance of the trip
You must convert the minutes to hours
-------------
Going upstream:
(1)
Going downstream:
(2)
---------------------------
Substitute (1) into (2)
(2)
(2)
Multiply both sides by
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2) mi/hr
---------------
check:
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
and
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
OK

RELATED QUESTIONS
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 16 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by stanbon)

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 38 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by checkley79)

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

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 31 miles per hour relative to the water. (answered by macston)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 35 miles per hour relative to the water. The (answered by Boreal)

A motorboat can maintain a constant speed of 13 miles per hour relative to the water.... (answered by josgarithmetic)