SOLUTION: Suppose you're flying in ultra light aircraft you fly to a nearby town 18 miles away with a tailwind the trip takes 1/3 hour. Your return flight with a headwind takes 3/5 hour

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Question 973894: Suppose you're flying in ultra light aircraft you fly to a nearby town 18 miles away with a tailwind the trip takes 1/3 hour. Your return flight with a headwind takes 3/5 hour Find the speed of the aircraft in the speed of the wind
Answer by josgarithmetic(39625) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a very common exercise question in uniform travel rates and deserves a generalized solution method.

RT=D, for rate, time, distance.

This table implies assigned variables.

______________speed_____________time___________distance
WITH__________r+w_________________v_______________d
AGAINST_______r-w_________________u_______________d

v%3Cu according to the effect of the wind.

system%28%28r%2Bw%29v=d%2C%28r-w%29u=d%29
This is a system of two equations with the two unknown variables, r and w. A bit of arithmetic and substitutions will make the system solvable.