MATH hep! im failing pre calc.?

Question

on a canoe trip rita paddled upstream at the rate of 2 mph relative to the river bank. on the return trip she increases her rate to 3 mph. find rita's rate relative to the shore amd the rate of the rivers current

Answer 1

Assuming that Rita paddled with the same intensity both ways, let R = Rita's rate in still water, let x be the velocity of the current. Then R - x = 2; R + x = 3.
add the two equations to get 2R = 5, so R = 2.5. R -x = 2, so x = .5

Answer 2

Think outside the canoe.
Ritas speed = paddling speed(PS) + speed of current going with the river OR PS- speed of current going upstream. Put these together, and for the info given, the river current is 1/2 mile per hour. You should be able to figure the PS from that.