Question 157512
Sure!
Distance(d) equals Rate(r) times Time(t) or d=rt;  r=d/t and t=d/r

Let r=rate (speed ) of the current

Time to travel upstream=300/(33-r) {note: when we go against the current we must subtract the rate of the current)
Time to travel downstream=360/(33+r) (note: downstream we add the rate of the current)

Now we are told that the above two times are the same, so:

300/(33-r)=360/(33+r)  multiply each side by (33-r)(33+r) (or cross-multiply)
300(33+r)=360(33-r)  divide each side by 60 (I did this just to reduce the size of the numbers that we have to deal with)
5(33+r)=6(33-r)  get rid of parens
165+5r=198-6r subtract 165 from and add 6r to both sides
165-165+5r+6r=198-165-6r+6r  collect like terms
11r=33  divide each side by 11
r=3 mph---------------------------------------speed of the current

CK
300/(33-3)=360/(33+3)
300/30=360/36
10=10


Hope this helps---ptaylor