SOLUTION: On a canoe trip, Rita paddled upstream (against the current) at an average speed of 2 mph relative to the riverbank. On the return trip downstream (with the current), her average s

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Question 899679: On a canoe trip, Rita paddled upstream (against the current) at an average speed of 2 mph relative to the riverbank. On the return trip downstream (with the current), her average speed was 3 mph. Find Rita's paddling speed in still water and the speed of the river's current.
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +s+ = Rita's paddling speed
Let +c+ = speed of river's current
Going upstream:
+s+-+c+=+2+
Going downstream:
+s+%2B+c+=+3+
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add the equations:
+2s+=+5+
+s+=+2.5+
and
+s+%2B+c+=+3+
+2.5+%2B+c+=+3+
+c+=+.5+
-------------
Rita's paddling speed was 2.5 mi/hr
The speed of river's current was .5 mi/hr