Question

.8. It takes a boat 2 hrs. to travel 16 miles upstream againsta current. If the speed of the boat in still water is 12 miles per hourwhat is the speed of the current?The speed of the current is ? mph.

Answer 1

Step 1:

If the rate of current is x mph, the speed of the boat in still water 12 mph is reduced by the rate of the current when it is going against the current. . So the the net speed of the boat against the current is 12 - x mph.

Step 2

`\frac{16}{12-\text{ x}}\text{ = 2}`

Step 3

Solve for x

`\begin{gathered} 2(\text{ 12 - x ) = 16} \\ 24\text{ - 2x = 16} \\ \text{24 - 16 = 2x} \\ 8\text{ = 2x} \\ \text{x = }(8)/(2) \\ \text{x = 4} \end{gathered}`

Final answer

So the rate of the current is 4mph