<PRE><B>Question 176977</B>
A boat on the Hudson River travels the same distance in 1/2 hour downstream as it can going upstream for an hour. If the boat travels 12 mph in still water, what is the speed of the current? 
-------------------------------------
Downstream DATA:
time = 1/2 hr ; rate = (12+c) mph ; distance = rt = (1/2)(12+c) = 6 + c/2 miles
--------------------------------------
Upstream DATA:
time = 1 hr ; rate = (12-c) mph ; distance = rt = 1(12-c) mph
--------------------------------------
Equation:
distance up = distance down
6 + c/2 = 12 - c
(3/2)c = 6
c = 4 mph (speed of the current)
====================================
Cheers,
Stan H.
 </PRE>