SOLUTION: An airplane flying with the wind can cover a certain distance in a = 4 hours. The return trip against the wind takes b = 6 1/2 hours. How fast is the plane and what is the speed of

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Question 993560: An airplane flying with the wind can cover a certain distance in a = 4 hours. The return trip against the wind takes b = 6 1/2 hours. How fast is the plane and what is the speed of the wind, if the one-way distance is c = 1040 miles?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let w be the wind's speed.
system%28a=4%2Cb=6%261%2F2%2Cc=1040%29 
DIRECTION      RATE      TIME      DISTANCE
WITHWIND       r+w        a         c
AGAINSTW       r-w        b         c


Your system of equations in the UNKNOWNS r and w, is
system%28%28r%2Bw%29%2Aa=c%2C%28r-w%29%2Ab=c%29, and hopefully you know what to do with this (and you should solve completely in symbols first).