document.write( "Question 271833: A boat on a river travels the same distance in 1/2 hour downstream as it can go upstream for an hour. If the boat travels 12 mph in still water, what is the speed of the current?
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #199029 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A boat on a river travels the same distance in 1/2 hour downstream as it can go upstream for an hour.
\n" ); document.write( "If the boat travels 12 mph in still water, what is the speed of the current?
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let c = speed of the current
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "(12-c) = speed upstream
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "(12+c) = speed downstream
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "A distance equation
\n" ); document.write( "1(12-c) = .5(12+c)
\n" ); document.write( "12 - c = 6 + .5c
\n" ); document.write( "12 - 6 = .5c + c
\n" ); document.write( "6 = 1.5c
\n" ); document.write( "c = $\"6%2F1.5\"$
\n" ); document.write( "c = 4 mph is the current
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Confirms this by finding the distance
\n" ); document.write( "12-4 = .5(12+4) \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );