A motorboat takes 4 hours to travel 128 mi going upstream. the return trip takes 2 hours going downstream. what is the rate of the boat in still water and what is the rate of the current

Question

Hobbs

Mathematics

24 October, 16:09

A motorboat takes 4 hours to travel 128 mi going upstream. the return trip takes 2 hours going downstream. what is the rate of the boat in still water and what is the rate of the current

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Answers (1)

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Chewy · Answer 1

First, find the MPH he was going at to go upstream which would be 128/4 or 32 mph to go upstream and twice as much to go downstream

We can now construct a system of equations where x = the speed of the both and y = the current ...

Going upstream: x - y = 32

Going downstream: x + y = 64

Solve this system of equations!

x - y = 32

x = 32 + y

(32 + y) + y = 64

2y + 32 = 64

2y = 32

y = 16

Subtitute 16 for y in the first equation ...

x - 16 = 32

x = 48

Rate of the boat in still water = 48mph

Rate of the current = 16 mph