document.write( "Question 1056878: A small motorboat travels 15 mph in still water. It takes 1 hour longer to travel 72 miles going upstream than it does going downstream. Find the speed of the current. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #671943 by Boreal(15235)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! velocity* time=distance \n" ); document.write( "upstream is 15-x \n" ); document.write( "downstream is 15+x, where x is the current speed. \n" ); document.write( "15+x*time1=72 \n" ); document.write( "time1=72/(15+x) \n" ); document.write( "15-x*time2=72 \n" ); document.write( "time2=72/(15-x) \n" ); document.write( "time 2 is 1 more than time 1 \n" ); document.write( "so 72/(15-x)-1=72/(15+x) \n" ); document.write( "Multiply everything by (15+x)(15-x) to clear fractions \n" ); document.write( "72(15+x)-(225-x^2)=72(15-x) \n" ); document.write( "1080+72x-225+x^2=1080-72x. The 1080 cancel \n" ); document.write( "x^2+144x-225=0 \n" ); document.write( "x=(1/2)(-144+ sqrt (20736+900);sqrt (21636)=147.09; x=(1/2)3.09, using only the positive root. \n" ); document.write( "x=1.545 mph current. ANSWER \n" ); document.write( "Upstream is 13.455 mph and it takes 5.35 hours \n" ); document.write( "Downstream is 16.545 mph and it takes 4.35 hours \n" ); document.write( " |