Mias boat took 3 hours to make a trip downstream with a 6 mp

Mia\'s boat took 3 hours to make a trip downstream with a 6 mph current. The return trip against the same current took 5 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

Solution

Downstream DATA:
time = 3 hrs ; rate = b+6 mph ; distance = rt = 3(b+6) miles
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Upstream DATA:
time = 5 hrs ; rate = b-6 mph ; distance = rt= 5(b-6) miles
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Equation:
distance = distance
3(b+6) = 5(b-6)
3b + 18 = 5b - 30
2b = 48
b = 24 mph (speed of the boat in still water)