Question

Swimming downstream a swimmer can cover o.5 mile in 10 minutes it takes the swimmer 30 minutes to swim back up the stream find the speed of the swimmer in still water and the speed of the current

Answer 1

The speed of the current is
`(1)/(30)` miles/min

The speed of the swimmer is
`(1)/(60)` miles/min

Explanation:

Let's assume

speed of the current is x miles /min

speed of the swimmer is y miles/min

Swimming downstream a swimmer can cover o.5 mile in 10 minutes

so, we get equation as

`x+y=(0.5)/(10)`

`x+y=0.05`

it takes the swimmer 30 minutes to swim back up

so, we get equation as

`x-y=(0.5)/(30)`

`x-y=(5)/(300)`

`x-y=(1)/(60)`

So, we get system of equations as

`x+y=0.05`

`x-y=(1)/(60)`

we can add both equations

and we get

`y=(1)/(60),\:x=(1)/(30)`

So,

The speed of the current is
`(1)/(30)` miles/min

The speed of the swimmer is
`(1)/(60)` miles/min