SOLUTION: A barge traveling down a river covers a distance of 36 miles in 4 hours. It would have traveled the same distance in 6 hours if it had been traveling upstream against the current.

Question 898220: A barge traveling down a river covers a distance of 36 miles in 4 hours. It would have traveled the same distance in 6 hours if it had been traveling upstream against the current. What is the speed of the river current?
Answer by lwsshak3(11628) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A barge traveling down a river covers a distance of 36 miles in 4 hours. It would have traveled the same distance in 6 hours if it had been traveling upstream against the current. What is the speed of the river current?
***
let x=speed of barge in still water
x+c=speed of boat downstream
x-c=speed of boat upstream
travel time*speed=distance
..
4(x+c)=36
6(x-c)=36
..
4x+4c=36
6x-6c=36
..
12x+12c=108 (mult. by 3)
12x-12c=72 (mult. by 2)
subtract:
24c=36
c=36/24=3/2=1.5
speed of the river current=1.5 mph
RELATED QUESTIONS
Traveling upstream on the Mississippi River, a barge travels 56 miles in 7 hours.... (answered by checkley77)

a tugboat pushing a barge up the Ohio River takes 1 hour longer to travel 36 miles up the (answered by Paul)

A boat made a trip 120 miles down the river. When traveling down stream the trip took... (answered by Alan3354,josgarithmetic,Solver92311)

A tugboat can pull a barge 60 miles upstream in 15 hours. the same tugboat and barge can... (answered by stanbon)

Speed: A boat travels 36 miles down a river in 3 hours. If it takes the boat 9 hours to (answered by rapaljer)

A father walks 36 miles in 12 hours, while his son covers the same distance on a bicycle... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A father walks 36 miles in 12 hours, while his son covers the same distance on a bicycle... (answered by checkley77)

A father walks 36 miles in 12 hours while his son covers the same distance on a bicycle... (answered by stanbon)

A steamer is going downstream in a river and cover a distance between two villages in 20... (answered by Boreal)