SOLUTION: An airplane flies 900 miles against the wind and 1200 miles with the wind in a total time of 15 hours. The speed of the airplane in still air is 150 mph. What is the speed of the

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Question 142586: An airplane flies 900 miles against the wind and 1200 miles with the wind in a total time of 15 hours. The speed of the airplane in still air is 150 mph. What is the speed of the wind?
Answer by vleith(2983) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Distance = velocity * time.
total time = 15 hours.
Distance against wind, 900 miles
Distance with wind, 1200 miles
Ground speed, 150 mph.
Let the wind speed be w.
Let the time flow against the wind be t. that means the time flown with the wind is 15+-+t
Construct two equations, as follows.
Against wind
900+=+%28150+-+w%29+%2A+t
900%2F%28150-w%29+=+t <--- use this later

With wind:
1200+=+%28150+%2B+w%29+%2A+%2815-t%29
1200+=+2250+%2B+15w+-+150t+-+wt
-1050+=+15w+-+150t+-+wt
Use the value for t from above.
Substitute that t in the last equation and solve for w. There will be two answers, pck the one that 'makes sense'.