A kayaker paddles upstream from camp to photograph a waterfall and returns. The kayaker's speed while traveling upstream and downstream is shown below. What is the kayaker's speed in still water? What is the speed of the current?

Answer 1

Let's denote the speed of the kayaker in still water as S and the speed of the current as C.

Speed upstream = S - C
Speed downstream = S + C

From the given information:
Speed upstream = 2 mph
Speed downstream = 4 mph

We can set up the following equations:
S - C = 2
S + C = 4

Adding the two equations together, we get:
2S = 6
S = 3 mph

Substitute S = 3 into one of the equations to solve for C:
3 - C = 2
C = 1 mph

Therefore, the kayaker's speed in still water is 3 mph and the speed of the current is 1 mph.