Math Word Problems Demystified - A Self Teaching Guide

To Pittsburgh: D¼ 2 ðx
 16 Þ

¼ 2 ð 112 
 16 Þ

¼ 2 ð 96 Þ

¼192 miles

Try These

1. A plane flies from New Eagle to North Oak in 3 hours and returns in
   4 hours. If the speed of the wind is 25 miles per hour and it is blow-
   ing in the direction of North Oak from New Eagle, find the airspeed
   of the plane.


2. If a boat travels upstream from point A to point B in 2^12 hours and
   returns downstream from point B to point A in 2 hours, find the speed
   of the boat (on its speedometer) if the current is 3 miles per hour.


3. If a plane flies from Mount Pleasant to Waltersville in 5 hours with a
   headwind of 25 miles per hour and returns in 4 hours with a tailwind
   of 20 miles per hour, find the airspeed of the plane.


4. A boat’s speed on its speedometer reads 18 miles per hour going
   downstream, and it reaches its destination in 1.25 hours. The return
   trip takes 1.75 hours at 18 miles per hour on the speedometer. Find the
   speed of the current.


5. A plane flies in a headwind of 22 miles per hour from East Grove to
   Uniontown in 6 hours and returns in 4 hours with a tailwind of 22
   miles per hour. Find the distance between the airports.

SOLUTIONS:

1. Letx¼the airspeed of the plane
   Rate  Time ¼ Distance
   To North Oak xþ 25 3 3(xþ25)

To New Eagle x
 25 4 4(x
25)

LESSON 13 Solving Distance Problems 143