Question

A motorboat travels 45 miles up stream in 3 hours and 50 miles downstream in 2 hours. Which linear equations can be used to find the speed of the boat in still water and the rate of the current ?

Answer 1

To find the speed of the boat in still water and the rate of the current, set up two equations based on the time it takes to travel a certain distance upstream and downstream.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the speed of the boat in still water, let's denote it as x, and the rate of the current as y. When the boat is traveling upstream, its effective speed is reduced by the current, so we can set up the equation:

45 = (x - y) * 3

Similarly, when the boat is traveling downstream, its effective speed is increased by the current, so we can set up another equation:

50 = (x + y) * 2

Solving these two equations simultaneously will give us the values of x and y, which represent the speed of the boat in still water and the rate of the current, respectively.