SOLUTION: A Boeing 747 flies the 3000-mile distance between Los Angeles & New York with a tailwind in 5 hours. The return trip against a headwind takes 6 hours. Assuming that the plane spe

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Misc -> SOLUTION: A Boeing 747 flies the 3000-mile distance between Los Angeles & New York with a tailwind in 5 hours. The return trip against a headwind takes 6 hours. Assuming that the plane spe      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 752307: A Boeing 747 flies the 3000-mile distance between Los Angeles & New York with a
tailwind in 5 hours. The return trip against a headwind takes 6 hours. Assuming that the
plane speed and wind speed are constant, find the speed of the plane and the speed of the
wind.
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +w+ = the wind speed in mi/hr
Let +p+ = the speed of the plane in mi/hr
+p+%2B+w+ = speed of the plane flying with the wind
+p+-+w+ = speed of the plane flying against the wind
----------------------
Flying with the wind:
(1) +3000+=+%28+p+%2B+w+%29%2A5+
Flying against the wind:
(2) +3000+=+%28+p+-+w+%29%2A6+
-----------------------
Add the equations
(1) +p+%2B+w+=+600+
(2) +p+-+w+=+500+
+2p+=+1100+
+p+=+550+
and
(1) +p+%2B+w+=+600+
(1) +550+%2B+w+=+600+
(1) +w+=+50+
The speed of the plane is 550 mi/hr
The speed of the wind is 50 mi/hr
check:
(1) +3000+=+%28+550+%2B+50+%29%2A5+
(1) +3000+=+600%2A5+
(1) +3000+=+3000+
and
(2) +3000+=+%28+550+-+50+%29%2A6+
(2) +3000+=+500%2A6+
(2) +3000+=+3000+
OK