A swimmer going downstream takes 1hour, 20 minutes to travel a certain distance. If takes the swimmer 4 hours to make to return trip against the current. If the river flows at the rate of 1.5mph. Find the rate of the swimmer in still water and the distance traveled one way.

Answer 1

let v be the swimmer velocity in still waters.

1.333 hr=distanceoneway/(v-1.5)
4hr=distance/(v+1.5)

in each equation, solve for distance, and since the distances are the same, then set those equations equal.

1.333(v-1.5)=4(V+1.5)
solve for v.