Answer: Upstream.
Step-by-step explanation:
To minimize the distance downstream that the river carries you, you should swim at an angle that allows you to effectively counteract the river's flow.
Given that the water in the river flows uniformly at a constant speed of 2.53 m/s and the distance between the parallel banks is 69.8 m, we can use the concept of vector addition to determine the direction in which you should head.
Since you can swim at a speed of 1.74 m/s, you need to swim at an angle that allows you to effectively cancel out the downstream component of the river's flow.
To achieve this, you should swim at an angle opposite to the downstream direction. This means that you should swim slightly upstream, in the opposite direction of the river's flow.
By doing so, you will be able to minimize the distance downstream that the river carries you and reach your destination more directly.
It's important to note that the exact angle you need to swim at can be calculated using trigonometry, specifically the tangent function. However, without knowing the width of the river or any other specific details, we can only provide a general direction to swim.
Remember, swimming directly across the river would result in being carried downstream by the river's flow, increasing the distance traveled. Swimming slightly upstream will allow you to compensate for the river's flow and minimize the downstream distance.