document.write( "Question 1199506: A boat travelled 32 miles downstream and then made the return trip. The trip with the current took 1 hour whereas the trip back against the current took 4 hours. What was the speed of the boat in still water and what was the speed of the current?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #833426 by math_tutor2020(3817)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "b = speed of the boat in still water
\n" ); document.write( "c = speed of the current
\n" ); document.write( "Speeds are in mph\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Downstream:
\n" ); document.write( "The boat speeds up to go from b to b+c
\n" ); document.write( "It travels the 32 mile distance in 1 hour
\n" ); document.write( "distance = rate*time
\n" ); document.write( "32 = (b+c)*1
\n" ); document.write( "32 = b+c
\n" ); document.write( "b = 32-c\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Upstream:
\n" ); document.write( "The boat is slowed down go from b to b-c
\n" ); document.write( "This time it takes 4 hours.
\n" ); document.write( "distance = rate*time
\n" ); document.write( "32 = (b-c)*4
\n" ); document.write( "32 = (32-c-c)*4 ..... plug in b = 32-c
\n" ); document.write( "32 = (32-2c)*4
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 128-8c
\n" ); document.write( "32+8c = 128
\n" ); document.write( "8c = 128-32
\n" ); document.write( "8c = 96
\n" ); document.write( "c = 96/8
\n" ); document.write( "c = 12
\n" ); document.write( "The speed of the current is 12 mph.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Then lastly,
\n" ); document.write( "b = 32-c
\n" ); document.write( "b = 32-12
\n" ); document.write( "b = 20
\n" ); document.write( "The boat's speed in still water is 20 mph.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "Check:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "b = 20 = speed of the boat in still water
\n" ); document.write( "c = 12 = speed of the current\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "b+c = 20+12 = 32 mph is the boat's speed when going downstream, when the boat is given a helpful push by the water.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Then note how
\n" ); document.write( "distance = rate*time
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 32*1
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 32
\n" ); document.write( "Confirming the downstream equation is correct.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "b-c = 20-12 = 8 mph is the upstream speed.
\n" ); document.write( "distance = rate*time
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 8*4
\n" ); document.write( "32 = 32
\n" ); document.write( "The upstream equation is confirmed also.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answers:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Speed of the boat in still water = 20 mph
\n" ); document.write( "Speed of the current = 12 mph
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