A motorboat can travel 30 km upstream and 28 km downstream in 7 h. It can travel 21 km upstream and return in 5 h. Find the speed of the boat in still
water and the speed of the stream.
Let the speed of the motorboat in still water and the speed of the stream are u km/h and v km/h, respectively.
Then, a motorboat speed in downstream = (u + v) km/h and a motorboat speed in upstream = (u -v) km/h.
Motorboat has taken time to travel 30 km upstream,
$t_{1}=\frac{30}{u-v} h$
and motorboat has taken time to travel $28 \mathrm{~km}$ downstream,
$t_{2}=\frac{28}{u+v} \mathrm{~h}$
By first condition, a motorboat can travel $30 \mathrm{~km}$ upstream and $28 \mathrm{~km}$ downstream in $7 \mathrm{~h}$ i.e.,
$t_{1}+t_{2}=7 \mathrm{~h}$
$\Rightarrow$ $\frac{30}{u-v}+\frac{28^{2}}{u+v}=7$ ...(i)
Now, motorboat has taken time to travel $21 \mathrm{~km}$ upstream and return i.e.. $t_{3}=\frac{21}{u-v}$.
[for ūpstream]
and $t_{4}=\frac{21}{u+v}$ [for downstream]
By second condition, $t_{4}+t_{3}=5 \mathrm{~h}$
$\Rightarrow$ $\frac{21}{u+v}+\frac{21}{u-v}=5$ ...(ii)
Let $x=\frac{1}{u+v}$ and $y=\frac{1}{u-v}$
Eqs. (i) and (ii) becomes $\quad 30 x+28 y=7$ ... (iii)
and $\quad 21 x+21 y=5$
$\Rightarrow$ $x+y=\frac{5}{21}$ ...(iv)
Now, multiplying in Eq. (iv) by 28 and then subtracting from Eq. (iii), we get
$2 x=7-\frac{20}{3}=\frac{21-20}{3}$
$\Rightarrow$ $2 x=\frac{1}{3} \Rightarrow x=\frac{1}{6}$
On putting the value of $x$ in Eq. (iv), we get
$\frac{1}{6}+y=\frac{5}{21}$
$\Rightarrow$ $y=\frac{5}{21}-\frac{1}{6}=\frac{10-7}{42}=\frac{3}{42} \Rightarrow y=\frac{1}{14}$
$\because$ $x=\frac{1}{u+v}=\frac{1}{6} \Rightarrow u+v=6$ ..(v)
and $y=\frac{1}{u-v}=\frac{1}{14}$
$\Rightarrow \quad u-v=14$ $\ldots$ (vi)
Now, adding Eqs. (v) and (vi), we get
$2 u=20 \Rightarrow u=10$
On putting the value of $u$ in Eq. (v), we get
$10+v=6$
$\Rightarrow \quad v=-4$
Hence, the speed of the motorboat in still water is 10 km/h and the speed of the stream 4 km/h.