A man takes twice as long to row a distance against the stream as to row the same distance in favour of the stream. The ratio of the speed of the boat (in still water) and the stream is________?
Correct answer: B. 3 : 1
- A. 2 : 1
- B. 3 : 1
- C. 3 : 2
- D. 4 : 3
Explanation
For the same distance, taking twice as long upstream means the upstream speed is half the downstream speed. Thus, (v + c) = 2(v - c), where v is still-water speed and c is current speed; solving gives v = 3c. Therefore, the ratio of still-water speed to current speed is 3:1. A common mistake is reversing the ratio and selecting 1:3.
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About Time, Speed and Distance
Problems relate distance, speed and time through the formula distance = speed × time, including unit conversion, average speed, relative speed and motion in opposite or the same direction. Questions may involve trains, boats and streams, where the effective speed changes, so average speed must not be confused with the simple average of two speeds.
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