SOLUTION: A plane traveled a distance of 1800 miles in 3 hours with the wind. The return trip takes 4 hours against the wind. Find the speed of the plane in still air and the speed of the wi

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Question 222430: A plane traveled a distance of 1800 miles in 3 hours with the wind. The return trip takes 4 hours against the wind. Find the speed of the plane in still air and the speed of the wind.
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

This is the solution to problem #222066 which is almost exactly the same as your problem. Just change the numbers.

A row boat traveled 12 miles in 2 hours against the current. It traveled 18 miles in the same amount of time with the current. Find the rate of the boat in still water and ther rate of the current?

If the boat went 12 miles in 2 hours, its rate against the current is 12 divided by 2 = 6 mph. Likewise, the rate with the current is 9 mph.

The rate against the current is the still water speed minus the current speed. The rate with the current is the still water speed plus the current speed, so:



Add the two equations:





So the speed of the boat in still water is 7.5 mph. The speed of the current is then



John