Question 936377
A canoe took 3 hours to travel up stream and 2 hours to travel the same distance down stream.  If the distance was 12 miles each way, what was the speed of the current?            


let speed of canoe in still water be x mph
speed of current be y mph

upstream speed = (x-y) mph
down stream speed = (x+y) mph

t=d/r

time upstream = 12/(x-y) = 3
3x-3y=12
x-y =4....................(1)

time downstream = 12/(x+y) =2

2x+2y=12
x+y=6.........................(2)
solve (1) & (2)
2x=10
/2
x=5 mph

x-y=4
therefore y =1 mph rate of current