Question

Omar paddles a canoe downstream at a rate of 5 mi/hr. The stream is flowing at a rate of 12 mi/hr. What is the actual velocity of the canoe? 5 mi/hr, downstream 7 mi/hr, downstream 12 mi/hr, downstream 17 mi/hr, downstream

Answer 1

17 mi/hr, downstream

Step-by-step explanation:

We can take downstream as the positive direction. With this system of coordinates, we have:

`v_c = + 5 mi/h` is the velocity of the canoe, downstream

`v_s = +12 mi/h` is the velocity of the water, also downstream

Since both velocities are in the same direction, the resultant velocity of the canoe will simply be the sum of the two velocities:

`v=v_c+v_s=5 mi/h+12 mi/h=+17 mi/h`

and the positive sign means downstream.