SOLUTION: A kayak can travel 18 miles downstream in 3 hours, while it would take 9 hours to make the same trip upstream. Find the speed of the kayak in still water as well as the speed of th

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Question 916705: A kayak can travel 18 miles downstream in 3 hours, while it would take 9 hours to make the same trip upstream. Find the speed of the kayak in still water as well as the speed of the current.
Answer by lwsshak3(11628) About Me  (Show Source):
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A kayak can travel 18 miles downstream in 3 hours, while it would take 9 hours to make the same trip upstream. Find the speed of the kayak in still water as well as the speed of the current.
***
let x=speed of kayak in still water
let c=speed of current
x+c=speed of kayak downstream
x-c=speed of kayak upstream
travel time*speed=distance
..
3(x+c)=18
9(x-c)=18
..
3x+3c=18
9x-9c=18
..
9x+9c=54(mult. eq by 3)
9x-9c=18
add
18x=72
x=4
3c=18-3x=18-12=6
c=2
speed of kayak in still water=4 mph
speed of current=2 mph