SOLUTION: Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current

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Question 89871: Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current in mph?
Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Rowing with the current, a canoeist paddled 14 miles in 2 hours. Against the same current he could only paddle 10 miles in the same amount of time. What is the rate of the current in mph?
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Let current speed be "c"; Let boat speed in still water be "b".
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Downstream DATA:
distance = 14 miles ; time = 2 hrs; rate = d/t = 7 mph
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Upstream DATA:
distance = 10 miles ; time = 2 hrs; rate = d/t = 5 mph
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EQUATIONS:
b+c = 7 mph
b-c = 5 mph
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Add the two to get:
2b = 12 mph
b = 6 mph (speed of the boat in still water)
c = 1 mph (speed of the current)
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Cheers,
Stan H.