document.write( "Question 353742: If you are planning to make a 24 mile round trip while canoeing in a river with a current of 2 mph, how fast will you have to paddle to make the trip in 4.5 hours? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #252846 by robertb(5830) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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distance up the river = 12 miles
\n" ); document.write( "let x = speed of canoe. Rate of canoe with respect to the river = x-2
\n" ); document.write( "distance down the river = 12 miles.
\n" ); document.write( "rate of canoe with respect to the river = x+2.
\n" ); document.write( "From the formula $\"d+=+r%2At\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"t+=+d%2Fr\"$ . Thus $\"12%2F%28x-2%29%2B12%2F%28x%2B2%29=4.5\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "The equation is the same as
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1%2F%28x-2%29%2B1%2F%28x%2B2%29=3%2F16\"$ after simplification.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%282x%29%2F%28x%5E2-4%29=3%2F16\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( " $\"0+=+3x%5E2-32x-12\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( " $\"0+=+%283x%2B2%29%2A%28x-6%29\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "Thus $\"x=6\"$ miles per hr. \n" ); document.write( "

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