SOLUTION: Chad paddles 55m/min in still water. He paddles 150m upstream and 150 downstream in a total time of 5.5 minutes. What is the speed of the current?

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: Chad paddles 55m/min in still water. He paddles 150m upstream and 150 downstream in a total time of 5.5 minutes. What is the speed of the current?       Log On


   

Question 1005611: Chad paddles 55m/min in still water. He paddles 150m upstream and 150 downstream in a total time of 5.5 minutes. What is the speed of the current?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!



            rate         time       distance

UPSTR       r-c          t%5Bu%5D        d

DOWNSTR     r+c          t%5Bd%5D        d

Total                    T


Three unknown variables but two of them can be eliminated through use of the common, simple, uniform travel rate rule. Best way for this is use the relationship and fill-in the cells of up & down stream times. 


            rate         time       distance

UPSTR       r-c         +d%2F%28r-c%29        d

DOWNSTR     r+c         d%2F%28r%2Bc%29        d

Total                    T


The time sum equation has ONLY ONE UNKNOWN variable, and it is the variable being asked to be solved, which is c.

THIS IS THE EQUATION TO SETUP FROM ANALYZING THE PROBLEM:
highlight_green%28d%2F%28r-c%29%2Bd%2F%28r%2Bc%29=T%29
Solve this equation for c.
THE ANSWER IS WHAT IS OBTAINED WHEN THE EQUATION IS SOLVED FOR c.
Once c is solved in symbols, substitute the given values to find the value for c.