SOLUTION: Andy canoed down river for two hours and returned in three hours. Andy's speed in still water is 2mph faster than the speed of the current. Find both speeds, write a system and the

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Question 578503: Andy canoed down river for two hours and returned in three hours. Andy's speed in still water is 2mph faster than the speed of the current. Find both speeds, write a system and then solve it. Thank you so much you are a life saver!
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Andy canoed down river for two hours and returned in three hours.
Andy's speed in still water is 2mph faster than the speed of the current.
Find both speeds, write a system and then solve it.
:
Let s = still water speed
then
(s-2) = current speed
:
Upstream speed
s - (s-2) = s - s + 2
2 mph is upstream speed
:
Downstream speed
s + (s-2) =
2s-2 mph is downstream speed
;
The distance up and back is the same, write a distance equation:
Down dist = Up dist
2(2s-2) = 3(2)
4s - 4 = 6
4s = 6 + 4
s = 10/4
s = 2.5 mph in still water
and
2.5 - 2 = .5 mph is the current
:
:
Check this by finding the distances, they should be the same
3(2.5-.5) = 6 mi
2(2.5+.5) = 6 mi