Question 157419
let x be the distance of the freighter from the port.
then 3*x = distance of the passenger ship from the port because the passenger ship was 3 times farther from the port than the freighter was.
the distance between the passenger ship and the freighter is given as 84 miles.
since they went in opposite directions, this must be the distance between the freighter and the port and the distance between the passenger ship and the port.
this would then equal x + 3x = 4x.
4x=84
x=21 miles.
since x is the distance of the freighter from the port, then the distance of the freighter from the port is 21 miles and the distance of the passenger ship from the port is 63 miles.
this satisfied the distance between the ships at 84 miles.
it also satisfied the fact that the passenger ship is 3 times the distance to the port than the freighter is.