document.write( "Question 304186: Juniors boat will go 15 miles per hour in still water. If he can go 12 miles downstream in the same amount of time as it takes to go 9 miles upstream, then what is the speed of the current. \r
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document.write( "Word problems are definitely my weakness, they just don't make sense in my head. I have a hard time figuring out which formula I need and what I need to do. \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #217898 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Juniors boat will go 15 miles per hour in still water. \n" ); document.write( " If he can go 12 miles downstream in the same amount of time as it takes to go 9 miles upstream, then what is the speed of the current. \n" ); document.write( "; \n" ); document.write( "See if this makes sense to you. \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Let c = speed of the current \n" ); document.write( "then \n" ); document.write( "(15+c) = speed down stream \n" ); document.write( "and \n" ); document.write( "(15-c) = speed upstream \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Write a time equation: Time = dist/speed \n" ); document.write( "Time up = time down \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "cross multiply \n" ); document.write( "9(15+c) = 12(15-c) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "135 + 9c = 180 - 12c \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "9c + 12c = 180 - 135 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "21c = 45 \n" ); document.write( "c = \n" ); document.write( "c = 2.143 mph is the current \n" ); document.write( "; \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Check solution, by finding the times (they should be equal) \n" ); document.write( "9/12.857 = .7 hrs (subtracted the speed of the current from 15) \n" ); document.write( "12/17.143= .7 hrs (added the speed of the current to 15) \n" ); document.write( ":\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "How about this, did I explain this so you can see it? \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |