document.write( "Question 435236: Sara decides to canoe 3 miles upstream on a river to a waterfall and then come back. Total trip is 6 hours. Sara can canoe at the average speed of 3mph in still water. What is the speed of the current? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #301277 by stanbon(75887)![]() ![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Sara decides to canoe 3 miles upstream on a river to a waterfall and then come back. Total trip is 6 hours. Sara can canoe at the average speed of 3mph in still water. What is the speed of the current? \n" ); document.write( "------ \n" ); document.write( "Upstream DATA: \n" ); document.write( "distance = 3 miles ; rate = 3-c mph ; time = d/r = 3/(3-c) hrs \n" ); document.write( "-------------------- \n" ); document.write( "Downstream DATA: \n" ); document.write( "distance = 3 miles; rate = 3+c mph ; time = d/r = 3/(3+c) hrs \n" ); document.write( "-------------------- \n" ); document.write( "Equation: \n" ); document.write( "time + time = 6 hrs. \n" ); document.write( "--- \n" ); document.write( "3/(3-c) + 3/(3+c) = 6 \n" ); document.write( "--- \n" ); document.write( "1/(3-c) + 1/(3+c) = 2 \n" ); document.write( "--- \n" ); document.write( "(3+c) + (3-c) = 2(9-c^2) \n" ); document.write( "6 = 2(9-c^2) \n" ); document.write( "3 = 9-c^2 \n" ); document.write( "c^2 = 6 \n" ); document.write( "c = sqrt(6) (speed of the current) \n" ); document.write( "========================== \n" ); document.write( "Cheers, \n" ); document.write( "Stan H. \n" ); document.write( "=============== \n" ); document.write( " |