SOLUTION: A motorboat traveling with the current went 72 km in 3 h. Against the current the boat could go only 48 km in the same amount of time. Find the rate of the boat in calm water and t

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Question 508313: A motorboat traveling with the current went 72 km in 3 h. Against the current the boat could go only 48 km in the same amount of time. Find the rate of the boat in calm water and the rate of the current.
Answer by mananth(16946) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Boat speed= x mph
current speed= y mph
with current speed= (x+y)
against current speed= (x-y)
d= 72 with current
72 / (x+y) = 3
divide by 3
24 / (x+y) = 1
(x+y) = 24 ............1
d= = 48 against current
27/(x-y) = 3
divide by 3
48 /(x-y) = 3
x - y = 16 .............2
add up (1) & (2)
2 x = 40
/ 2
x= 20 mph speed of Boat in still water
plug value of x in (1)
we get y= 4 mph speed of current