help with a wind and current math puzzle?

Question

hi
im doing a problem using the wind and current classic puzzle in two varibles
simply, its this...
"A boat can travel 10 miles downstream in 2 hours and can travel the same distance in 3 1/3 hours. Find the rate of the boat in still water and the rate of the current."
okay, i know how to set this up to solve, but the problem is the what do I put 3 1/3 hours as? I do not know how to put a repeating decimal (3.3333333---) into my calculator, and i would like to know what to put 3 1/3 as? high five to anyone who can solve this, although if i set it up, im pretty much okay from there...Thx!

im sorry, as CS pointed out, the correct wording is ..."and it travels UPstream in 3 1/3 hours"

...and "wind and current" has nothing to do with this problem, it only refers to the catagory of which the problem is placed under... hope that helped!

Answer 1

put 3 1/3 as an improper fraction 10/3

use the formula distance = rate * time (d=rt)

*I am kind of confused by your wording. I think you mean it travels 10 miles downstream in 2 hours, and travels the same distance upstream in 3 1/3 hours. Find the rate of the boat and the rate of the current. Is this what you mean? I don't see how the wind fits in to all of this?

If it is like i think, then you do

downsream: 10 miles = 2x + 2y (rt of the boat + rt of the current)

upstream: 10 miles = 10/3 (x) - 10/3 (y) (rt of the boat - rt of the current)

(just a hint- you can enter 3.33 into your calculator for 3.333 repeating. If it were bigger like 3.66666 you would enter 3.67)

Answer 2

Remember, rate (r) x time (t) = distance (d)

So, you have:

r x 2 hrs = 10 miles

r = 10/2 or 5 mph

Also you have:

r x 3.33 hrs = 10 miles

r = 10 / 3.33 = 3 mph

You didn't specify if "travel downstream" meant drift with the wind, or if "travel the same distance" meant with the wind. The current could be moving the boat faster or slower than the wind. Either way, this should help.

Mysstere

Answer 3

that's noted as a good judgment puzzle or good judgment project. Penny Press sells magazines of them on the link under; Kappa's link would not seem to artwork as nicely. they're greater cost-effective in magazine variety than e book variety.