SOLUTION: The question is this: "If Aaron and Jessica walked 2 mph to the docks, then road a jet boat for 46 mph to see Jeff and if the total distance was 21 mile and the total time was 5 h

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Question 115867This question is from textbook Test Form Algebra 1
: The question is this: "If Aaron and Jessica walked 2 mph to the docks, then road a jet boat for 46 mph to see Jeff and if the total distance was 21 mile and the total time was 5 hours...How far did they travel by boat?
I tried this question by first dividing the MPH by 60 min (1 hour)...
1. 60min (1 hr)/46mph = 1.30434... then I multiplied that by 5 hrs and got 6.5217 for the miles Would this be correct????
Danyelle This question is from textbook Test Form Algebra 1

Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FOLLOWING WHAT YOU DID, DANYELLE. SEE IF YOU CAN FOLLOW WHAT I DID.
First, lets start by setting up the problem (identifying the unknowns and the quantities that are equal, etc.) so we know where we are at any given time as we as we proceed towards a solution:
Distance(d) equals Rate(r) times Time(t) or d=rt; r=d/t and t=d/r
Let d=distance travelled by boat (that's what the problem is asking for)
Now we know that distance walked plus distance travelled by boat equals 21 mi (we are told this in the problem)
So 21-d=distance walked
amount of time spent walking=(21-d)/2
amount of time spent in the boat=d/46
Now we are told that the above two times adds up to 5 hrs so our equation to solve is:
(21-d)/2+d/46=5 multiply each term by 46
23(21-d)+d=230 get rid of parens
483-23d+d=230 subtract 483 from each side
483-483-23d+d=230-483 collect like terms
-22d=-253 divide both sides by -22
d=11.5 mi---------------------------------distance travelled by boat
21-d=21-11.5=9.5 mi---------------------------distance walked
CK
9.5+11.5=21
21=21
also
9.5/2+11.5/46=5
4.75+0.25=5
5=5

Hope this helps---ptaylor