SOLUTION: Going with the current, a motorboat travels 75 miles in 3 hours. Against the current, the motorboat could only go 45 miles in the same amount of time. Find the rate of the motorboa

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Question 717536: Going with the current, a motorboat travels 75 miles in 3 hours. Against the current, the motorboat could only go 45 miles in the same amount of time. Find the rate of the motorboat in still water and the rate of the current.
Answer by lwsshak3(11628) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Going with the current, a motorboat travels 75 miles in 3 hours. Against the current, the motorboat could only go 45 miles in the same amount of time. Find the rate of the motorboat in still water and the rate of the current
**
let x=rate of motorboat in still water
let c=rate of current
x+c=rate of motorboat downstream
x-c=rate of motorboat downstream
distance=travel time*rate
..
3(x+c)=75
3(x-c)=45
..
3x+3c=75
3x-3c=45
add
6x=120
x=20
3c=75-3x=75-60=15
c=5
rate of motorboat in still water=20 mph
rate of current=5 mph