Question

3 swimmers cross a river with a downstream current.
Swimmer A swims straight across and ends up down the river.
Swimmer B swims against the current, and reaches the shore directly across from the starting point.
Swimmer C swims with the current, landing very down stream.

Who gets across first?

Answer 1

Swimmer C crosses the river more quickly because she is traveling faster, at the speed of the river plus the speed of her added effort.

Answer 2

Why would this happen? Aren't the vertical and horizontal components independent of each other thus making the swimmer swimming perpendicular to the shore arrive first at the opposite shore since the vertical component is the largest of the three other swimmers. That's my view of the problem. If someone could explain in detail why I am wrong email me at e.sabado95 (at) gmail (dot) com