document.write( "Question 90884: A plane flies 720 mi against a steady 30-mi/h headwind and then returns to the same point with the wind. If the entire trip takes 10 h, what is the plane’s speed in still air? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #65968 by stanbon(75887)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
plane flies 720 mi against a steady 30-mi/h headwind and then returns to the same point with the wind. If the entire trip takes 10 h, what is the plane’s speed in still air?
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\n" ); document.write( "Let the speed of the plane in calm air be \"p\".
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\n" ); document.write( "Against the wind DATA:
\n" ); document.write( "distance = 720 mi ; rate = p-30 ; time = d/r = 720/(p-30)
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\n" ); document.write( "With the wind DATA;
\n" ); document.write( "distance = 720 mi ; rate = p+30 ; time = d/r = 720/(p+30)
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\n" ); document.write( "EQUATION:
\n" ); document.write( "time + 1ime = 10 hrs.
\n" ); document.write( "720/(p-30) + 720/(p+30) = 10
\n" ); document.write( "72/(P-30) + 72/(p+30) = 1
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply thru by P^2-900 to get:
\n" ); document.write( "72(p+30) + 72(p-30) = p^2-900
\n" ); document.write( "144p= p^2-900
\n" ); document.write( "p^2-144p-900 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "(p+6)(p-150)=0
\n" ); document.write( "p = 150 mph (speed of the plane in still air)
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\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H.
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