138k views
5 votes
A pilot flew a 400-mile flight in 2.5 hours flying into the wind. Flying the same rate and with the same wind speed, the return trip took only 2 hours, with a tailwind.

What was the speed of the wind?

20
40
160
180

2 Answers

4 votes

It's 20 or A

hope this helped!<3

User Nathan Stocks
by
4.9k points
3 votes

Answer:

20 miles per hour

Explanation:

traveling against the wind was 160mph (400/2.5)

traveling with the wind was 200mph (400/2)

going against the wind is going in the negative direction of the wind speed, and going with the wind is going in a positive direction of the wind speed, therefore the wind speed is |direction1-direction2|/2, which would be |200-160|/2 = |40|/2 = 20mph

(180mph is neutral speed with no wind, with wind affecting this neutral speed ±20mph)

User Dufaux
by
4.4k points