A certain plane flying with the wind travels 540 km in 2 hou
A certain plane flying with the wind travels 540 km in 2 hours. Later, flying against the same wind, the plane travels 690 km in 3 hours. Find the speed of the plane in still air and the speed of the boat.
 A boat takes 3 hours to go 24 km upstream. It can go 36 km downstream in the same time. Find the speed of the current and the speed of the boat.
Solution
let s = plane speed in still air
 let w = speed of the wind
 then
 (s+w) = effective speed with the wind
 (s-w) = effective speed against
 :
 Write two distance equations: dist = time * speed
 2(s + w) = 540; (with the wind)
 3(s - w) = 690; (against the wind}
 :
 We can simplify both these equations, divide the 1st by 2 and the 2nd by 3:
 s + w = 270
 s - w = 230
 --------------addition eliminates w, find s
 2s = 500
 s = 250 km/hr speed in still air
 :
 Find the speed of the wind:
 250 + w = 270
 w = 270 - 250
 w = 20 km/hr speed of the wind
 :
 :
 A boat takes 3 hours to go 24 km upstream.
 It can go 36 km downstream in the same time.
 Find the speed of the current and the speed of the boat.
 :
 Do this problem exactly the same way:
 3(s - c) = 24
 3(s + c) = 36

