Question

A ferry moves up and down a river between Town A and B. It takes the ferry two hours to reach Town A and only an hour and thirty minutes to return to Town B. If the river current is 5 mph how far apart are the two towns?

A) 5 miles
B) 10 miles
C) 7.5 miles
D) 15 miles

Answer 1

The distance between the towns is 15 miles.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the distance between the towns, we need to determine the speed of the ferry in still water. Let's assume the speed of the ferry in still water is x mph. The speed of the ferry downstream is x + 5 mph (current speed added), and the speed of the ferry upstream is x - 5 mph (current speed subtracted).

From the given information, we can set up the following equations:

1. Distance = Speed x Time
2. 2(x + 5) = Distance
3. 1.5(x - 5) = Distance

Solving these equations simultaneously, we find that the distance between the two towns is 15 miles (option D).