document.write( "Question 615280: A plane flew 720 miles in 3 hours with the wind. It would take 4 hours to travel the same distance against the wind. What is the rate of the plane in still air? What is the speed of the wind? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #387083 by mananth(16946)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Plane speed =x mph \n" ); document.write( "wind speed =y mph \n" ); document.write( "against wind x-y 4 hours \n" ); document.write( "with wind x+y 3 hours \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "Distance against wind 720 miles distance with wind 720 miles \n" ); document.write( "t=d/r against wind \n" ); document.write( "720 / ( x - y )= 4 \n" ); document.write( "4 ( x - y ) = 720 \n" ); document.write( "4 x - 4 y = 720 ....................1 \n" ); document.write( "with wind \n" ); document.write( "720 / ( x + y )= 3 \n" ); document.write( "3 ( x + y ) = 720 \n" ); document.write( "3 x + 3 y = 720 ...............2 \n" ); document.write( "Multiply (1) by 3 \n" ); document.write( "Multiply (2) by 4 \n" ); document.write( "we get \n" ); document.write( "12 x + -12 y = 2160 \n" ); document.write( "12 x + 12 y = 2880 \n" ); document.write( "24 x = 5040 \n" ); document.write( "/ 24 \n" ); document.write( "x = 210 mph \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "plug value of x in (1) \n" ); document.write( "4 x -4 y = 720 \n" ); document.write( "840 -4 y = 720 \n" ); document.write( "-4 y = 720 -840 \n" ); document.write( "-4 y = -120 \n" ); document.write( " y = 30 mph \n" ); document.write( " plane speed 210 mph \n" ); document.write( " wind speed= 30 mph \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |