Problema Solution
Chris is calculating a canoe trip down the Mississippi River. If he can travel 50 miles down stream in 5 hours and 10 miles up stream in the same period of time, how fast is the current moving?
Answer provided by our tutors
let
d1 = 50 mi the distance traveled down stream
t = 5 hr the time of the travel in each direction
d2 = 10 mi the distance traveled up stream
v = the speed of the canoe in still water
c = the speed of the current
traveling down stream the speed of the canoe is: v + c
v + c = d1/t
v + c = 50/5
v + c = 10
traveling up stream the speed of the canoe is: v - c
v - c = d2/t
v - c = 10/5
v - c = 2
by solving the system of equations:
v + c = 10
v - c = 2
we find:
c = 4 mph
v = 6 mph
click here to see the step by step solution of the system of equations:
the speed of the current is 4 mph.