SOLUTION: A boat traveled 32 miles downstream and back. The trip downstream took two hours. The trip back took four hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water and the speed of the curr

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Question 877130: A boat traveled 32 miles downstream and back. The trip downstream took two hours. The trip back took four hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water and the speed of the current.
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, lwsshak3:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39629) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Try this:

A boat traveled d miles downstream and back. The trip downstream took v hours. The trip back took u hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water and the speed of the current.

Let r = speed without current
Let c = speed of the current
RT=D uniform rate for travel, Rate, Time, Distance

_________________speed________time_______distance____Equations
DOWN_____________r+c__________v__________d__________
UP_______________r-c__________u__________d__________

Only two unknown variables: r and c.
Solve for r and c.

Answer by lwsshak3(11628) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A boat traveled 32 miles downstream and back. The trip downstream took two hours. The trip back took four hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water and the speed of the current.
***
let x=speed of boat in still water
let c =speed of current
(x+c)=speed of boat downstream
(x-c)=speed of boat upstream
travel time=distance/speed
32/(x+c)=2
32/(x-c)=4
..
2x+2c=32
4x-4c=32
..
4x+4c=64
4x-4c=32
add
8x=96
x=12
2c=32-2x=32-24=8
2c=8
c=4
speed of boat in still water=12 mph
speed of current=4 mph