document.write( "Question 980173: There was a question about an army travelling 5 mph and a messenger on horseback travelling at 10 mph(question asks for the distance from front to rear) that was answered by ankor@dixie.net that I didn't really understand why did he add and subtract 5 to the 10 mph rate. I know that you do add +-r or a given amount in wind and water current problems. Is that why you added and subtracted the 5? Some logic of why is all I need, so that I can understand a problem that I've never seen before in any other place than the Schaum College Algebra textbook. Please help. QUESTION: WHY WAS THE 5 ADDED AND SUBTRACTED FROM 10 TO GET 15 AND 5(Denominators) AND WHY 5 AND NOT R? Anybody that understands fully why and can explain is welcome. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #601381 by ikleyn(52786)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "When the messenger is moving from the front to the rear, he moves in the direction opposite the the army's move. Therefore, his speed relative to the army's column is \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "On the way back the messenger moves in the same direction as the army's column moves. Therefore, his speed relative to the army's column is \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Therefore, the equation is\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Solve it by simplifying step by step:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "d + 3d = \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "4d = \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "d = \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer. The distance from the front to the rear is \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |