SOLUTION: I am really bad with math/word problems. This is the problem, can you please help me to understand. An airplane flew for 4 hours with a 20 mph tail wind. The return flight agains

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Question 908577: I am really bad with math/word problems. This is the problem, can you please help me to understand.
An airplane flew for 4 hours with a 20 mph tail wind. The return flight against the same wind took 5 hours. What was the speed of the plane if there was no wind?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Assign variables and make a data table.
Uniform Rates rule is RT=D for rate, time, distance.

r, speed of plane if no wind
d, distance of trip each way
20, speed of tailwind, mph miles per hour


______________________speed__________time__________distance
WITH__________________r+20___________4_____________d=%28r%2B20%29%2A4
AGAINST_______________r-20___________5_____________d=%28r-20%29%2A5

The same distance d for the trip WITH the wind and AGAINST the wind.
Clear enough. You should see to form one equation in one unknown variable.