Question

Jared can paddle his canoe 1 mile upstream in 1 hour, but it takes only a half hour to paddle back the same distance. Find the speed of water. (Hint: d=rt and the rate or canoe speed, depending on which way he is going.)

Answer 1

the distance is the same, so, with water speed = w,

(r-w)(1) = (r+w)(.5)
and (r-w)(1) = 1, so r = w+1
(r+w)(.5) = w+.5 = 1, so w = 1/2
so,r = 3/2

check:
upstream: 1 mile/1mph = 1 hour
1 mile/2mph = .5 hour