Question 221312
Barbara can paddler her canoe 48 miles with the current in the same time it takes her to paddle 24 miles against the current. If the spped of the current is 2 miles per hour, find the speed of the boat in still water.
(I have solved it like this:
still water = 2x
with current= 24 miles(x-2)
against current =48(x+2)
2x+24(x-2)=48(x+2)
2x+24x-48=48x+96
96+48=48x-24x-2x
144/22x
x=6.5 mph in still water?????
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48 miles/(6.5 + 2) =? 24 miles/(6.5 - 2)
48/8.5 =? 24/4.5  It's not, so 6.5 doesn't fit.
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r = speed of the boat
d = rt
48/(r+2) = 24/(r-2)
48(r-2) = 24(r+2)
48r-96 = 24r+48
24r = 144
r = 6 mph