Problema Solution

canoeing. Kahla paddled for 4 hours with a 6km/h current to reach a campsite. The return trip against the same current too 10 hours. Find the speed of Kahla's canoe in still water.

Answer provided by our tutors

Let k = Kahla's speed in still water

Her speed paddling with the current is her speed in still water plus the speed of the current = k + 6km/hr

Her speed paddling against the current is her speed in still water minus the speed of the current = k - 6km/hr

Going to the campsite took 4 hr and her speed was k + 6km/hr. Plug that into d = rt

d = (k+6)4 = 4k + 24

Returning from the campsite took 10 hr and her speed was k - 6km/hr. Again plug those into d = rt

d = (k - 6)10 = 10k - 60

The 2 distances are the same so

4k + 24 = 10k - 60

4k - 10k = -60 - 24

-6k = -84

k = 14

Kahla's speed in still water is 14km/hr