document.write( "Question 199034: A boat goes 10 miles per hour in still water. It travels 24 miles upstream and 24 miles back in a total of 5 hours. What is the speed of the current? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #149508 by nerdybill(7384)\"\" \"About 
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A boat goes 10 miles per hour in still water. It travels 24 miles upstream and 24 miles back in a total of 5 hours. What is the speed of the current?
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\n" ); document.write( "Apply the distance formula:
\n" ); document.write( "d = rt
\n" ); document.write( "where
\n" ); document.write( "d is distance
\n" ); document.write( "r is rate or speed
\n" ); document.write( "t is time
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\n" ); document.write( "Solving for t:
\n" ); document.write( "t = d/r
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\n" ); document.write( "Let x = speed of current
\n" ); document.write( "then rate or speed:
\n" ); document.write( "downstream = 10+x
\n" ); document.write( "upstream = 10-x
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\n" ); document.write( "24/(10+x) + 24/(10-x) = 5
\n" ); document.write( "24(10-x) + 24(10+x) = 5(10+x)(10-x)
\n" ); document.write( "240-24x + 240+24x = 5(100-10x+10x-x^2)
\n" ); document.write( "480 = 500-5x^2
\n" ); document.write( "480+5x^2 = 500
\n" ); document.write( "5x^2 = 20
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 = 4
\n" ); document.write( "x = 2 mph (current)\r
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