Question

Two canoes travel down a river, starting at 10:00. One canoe travels twice as fast as the other. After 3.5 hr, the canoes are 5.25 mi apart. Find the average

rate of each canoe.

Answer 1

Explanation:

The time for each canoe is 3.5 hours

The total distance traveled by the first canoe is not known. Nor is the distance for the second canoe. We do know that the difference is 5.25 miles.

So let the rate of the slower canoe = x

Let the rate for the second canoe = 2x

The first canoe goes a distance of 2*x * 3.5 = 7x

The second canoe goes a distance of 3.5x

The difference = 7x - 3.5x = 5.25

3.5x = 5.25 divide by 3.5

x = 5.25/3.5

x = 1.5 which is the rate of the slower canoe

2x = 3 which is the rate of the faster canoe