<PRE><B>Question 526651</B>
After a sailboat had been on the water for 3 hours, a change in the wind direction reduced the average speed of the boat by 7 mph.
 The entire distance sailed was 51 miles.
 The total time spent sailing was 5 hours.
 How far did the sailboat travel in the first 3 hours?
:
Let s = the speed of the boat the first 3 hrs
then total time given as 5 hrs, therefore
(s-7) = the speed for the final 2 hrs
:
Write a distance equation: dist = speed * time
:
3s + 2(s-7) = 51
3s + 2s - 14 = 51
5s = 51 + 14
5s = 65
s = 13 mph for the 1st 3 hrs
:
3*13 = 39 mi traveled</PRE>