document.write( "Question 223211: Sigh! I just don't get this stuff : ( Very frustrating. Please help.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A boat can maintain a speed of 16mph. The boat makes a trip upstream in 20 mins. The return trip takes 15 minutes. What is the speed of the current?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #166981 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A boat can maintain a speed of 16mph.
\n" ); document.write( "The boat makes a trip upstream in 20 mins.
\n" ); document.write( " The return trip takes 15 minutes. What is the speed of the current?
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\n" ); document.write( "Change min to hrs:
\n" ); document.write( "15 min = 15/60 = 1/4 hr
\n" ); document.write( "20 min = 20/60 = 1/3 hr
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\n" ); document.write( "Let c = speed of the current
\n" ); document.write( "then we can say:
\n" ); document.write( "(16 - c) = boat speed up stream
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "(16 + c) = boat speed down stream
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\n" ); document.write( "The distance up and the distance back are equal. Write a distance equation
\n" ); document.write( "Dist = time * speed
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\n" ); document.write( "Up dist = down dist
\n" ); document.write( "\"1%2F3\"(16-c) = \"1%2F4\"(16+c)
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply both sides by 12 to get rid of those denominators
\n" ); document.write( "4(16-c) = 3(16+c)
\n" ); document.write( "64 - 4c = 48 + 3c
\n" ); document.write( "64 - 48 = 3c + 4c
\n" ); document.write( "16 = 7c
\n" ); document.write( "c = \"16%2F7\"
\n" ); document.write( "c = 2.2587 mph speed of the current
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\n" ); document.write( "We can confirm this solution by finding the distance of each, should be equal
\n" ); document.write( ".25(16 + 2.2587) = 4.57 miles
\n" ); document.write( ".33(16 - 2.2587) = 4.57 miles
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