A river flows at a speed of 6 miles per hour. A boat travels 18 miles upstream and then returns downstream in a total time of 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water. The speed of the boat in still water ismiles per hour.
Answer & Analysis
Analysis
Question Analysis
This problem assesses the ability to solve rational equations in the context of a real-world scenario involving rates and proportions.
Key Concept Explanation
To solve this problem, we need to set up an equation based on the given information and solve for the unknown variable, which is the speed of the boat in still water.
Step-by-step Solution
1. Let be the speed of the boat in still water.
2. The speed upstream is and the speed downstream is .
3. The time taken to travel upstream is and the time taken to travel downstream is .
4. The total time for the round trip is 3 hours, so we set up the equation: .
5. Find a common denominator: .
6. Multiply each term by the common denominator: .
7. Simplify: .
8. Combine like terms:
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