document.write( "Question 304035: In 8 hours, two campers rowed 15 miles down a river and then rowed back to their campsite. The rate of the river's current was 1 mph. Find the rate at which the campers row in calm water.\r
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document.write( "What I know is that it was 8 hours total and it took 15 mi there and back.\r
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document.write( "Please help! I've been trying to solve it for now an hour and 31 minutes. \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #217826 by mananth(16946)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! let the speed of the boat be xmph in still water\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "down stream the speed will be x+1 mph\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "time taken down stream = 15 / x+1 hours\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "upstream the speed will be x-1 mph\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "time taken upstream = 15 / x-1\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "sum of these two times = 8 hours\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "15 / x+1 + 15 /x-1 = 8\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "15(x-1)+15(x+1) / x^2-1= 8\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "15x-15 +15x +15 = 8(x^2-1)\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "30x = 8x^2-8\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "8x^2-30x-8 =0\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "8x^2-32x+2x-8=0\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "8x(x-4)+2(x-4)=0\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(x-4)(8x+2)=0\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x= 4 or -2/8\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "the rowing speed in still waters = 4 mph \n" ); document.write( " |