Boat travels upstream for 2 hours. On the return trip, it only takes 1.7 hours because the boat travels 2.5 miles per hours faster downstream due to the current. How far does the boat travel one way?

Step-by-step explanation:

Let x represent the distance travelled either upstream or downstream.

Let y represent the speed of the boat upstream.

Distance = speed * time

Boat travels upstream for 2 hours. It means that the distance travelled by the boat would be

x = 2y

On the return trip, it only takes 1.7 hours because the boat travels 2.5 miles per hour faster downstream due to the current. It means that distance travelled on the return trip would be

x = 1.7 (y + 2.5)

Assuming the distance upstream is the same as the distance downstream, then,

1.7 (y + 2.5) = 2y

1.7y + 4.25 = 2y

2y - 1.7y = 4.25

0.3y = 4.25

y = 4.25/0.3 = 14.17 miles per hour.

The distance that the boat travel one way would be

X = 2y = 2 * 14.17 = 28.34 miles