A boat goes 8 km upstream and 12 km downstream in 7 hours. It goes 9 k...
Let speed of boat be x km/hr and speed of stream be y km/hr
Speed of boat upstream = x - y
Speed of boat downstream = x + y
According to question,
{8/(x - y)} + {12/(x + y)} = 7
⇒ 8x + 8y + 12x - 12y = 7(x2 - y2)
⇒ 20x - 4y = 7(x2 - y2) ----(1)
Also,
{9/(x - y)} + {18/(x + y)} = 9
⇒ x + y + 2x - 2y = (x2 - y2)
⇒ 3x - y = (x2 - y2)
⇒ 21x - 7y = 7(x2 - y2) ----(2)
Subtracting equation (1) from (2) we get,
⇒ x - 3y = 0
⇒ x = 3y
Now, from equation (1) we get,
⇒ 60y - 4y = 7(9y2 - y2)
⇒ 56y = 56y2
⇒ y(y - 1) = 0
⇒ y = 1
Now,
⇒ x = 3y = 3 × 1 = 3 km/hr
∴ the speed of the boat in still water = 3 km/hr