document.write( "Question 1007344: A river barge travels at an average of 8 miles per hour in still water. The barge travels 60 miles up the Mississippi River and returns 60 miles downriver in 16.5 hours. What is the average speed of the current, (the river), in this section of the Mississippi River? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #623302 by lwsshak3(11628)\"\" \"About 
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A river barge travels at an average of 8 miles per hour in still water. The barge travels 60 miles up the Mississippi River and returns 60 miles downriver in 16.5 hours. What is the average speed of the current, (the river), in this section of the Mississippi River?
\n" ); document.write( "let c=speed of current
\n" ); document.write( "(8+c)=speed of barge downriver
\n" ); document.write( "(8-c)=speed of barge upriver
\n" ); document.write( "travel time=distance/speed
\n" ); document.write( "60/(8-c)+60/(8+c)=16.5
\n" ); document.write( "lcd:(8+c)+(8-c)=16.5
\n" ); document.write( "60(8+c))+60(8-c)=16.5((8+c)(8-c)
\n" ); document.write( "480+60c+480-60c=16.5(64-c^2)
\n" ); document.write( "960=1056-16.5c^2
\n" ); document.write( "16.5c^2=96
\n" ); document.write( "c^2=96/16.5=5.82
\n" ); document.write( "c=√5.82
\n" ); document.write( "c=2.41 mph
\n" ); document.write( "What is the average speed of the current? 2.41 mph \r
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