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) ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-------------------------------------------------- \n" ); document.write( "Check:\r \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "--------------------------------------------------\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answers:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Speed of the boat in still water = 20 mph \n" ); document.write( "Speed of the current = 12 mph \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |