Question 515020: A plane travels from Orlando to Denver and back again. On the five-hour trip from Orlando to Denver, the plane has a tailwind of 40 miles per hour. On the return trip from Denver to Orlando, the plane faces a headwind of 40 miles per hour. This trip takes six hours. What is the speed of the airplane in still air?
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A plane travels from Orlando to Denver and back again.
On the five-hour trip from Orlando to Denver, the plane has a tailwind of 40 miles per hour.
On the return trip from Denver to Orlando, the plane faces a headwind of 40 miles per hour. This trip takes six hours.
What is the speed of the airplane in still air?
:
Let s = speed of plane in still air
:
Write a distance equation, dist = speed * time
:
Dist to Olan = Dist to Den
6(s-40) = 5(s+40)
6s - 240 = 5s + 200
6s - 5s = 200 + 240
s = 440 mph is the plane speed in still air
:
:
Confirm this by finding the distance each way, should be equal if we did it right
6(440-40) = 2400 mi
5(440+40) = 2400 mi
:
|
|
|
