Question 834528
with a current, you can canoe 64 miles in 4 hours.
 Against the same current, you can canoe only 3/4 of this distance in 6 hours.
 Find your rate in still water.
:
Find the distance against the current. {{{3/4}}}*64 = 48 miles
:
Let s = canoe speed in still water
let c = rate of the current
then
(s+c) = effective speed with the current
and
(s-c) = effective speed against
:
Write a distance equation for each way. dist = time * speed
4(s+c) = 64
6(s-c) = 48
Simplify, divide the 1st equation by 4, the 2nd equation by 6, results
s + c = 16
s - c = 8
--------------Addition eliminates c find s
2s + 0 = 24
s = 24/2
s = 12 mph is the speed in still water
:
:
You can confirm this yourself, find the rate of the current.
Check it in both equations