Problema Solution
Nicholas paddles his canoe downstream from the lodge to Big Bend in 3 hours and then back upstream to the lodge in 6 hrs. If the distance from the Lodge to Big bend is 21 miles, find Nicholas speed in still water and the speed of the current
Answer provided by our tutors
Let 'v' represent Nicholas' speed in still water and 'c' represent the speed of the current, then the speed upstream is 'v-c' and the speed downstream is 'v+c'.
Since speed=distance/time follows distance = speed*time.
Using the formula distance = speed*time we have:
21 = (v-c)6
21 = (v+c)3
That is we need to solve the system of equations:
(v-c)6 = 21
(v+c)3 = 21
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click here to see the system of equations solved fir v and c
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c = 1.75 mph
v = 5.25 mph
The speed of the current is is 1.75 mph.
Nicholas's speed in still water is 5.25 mph