A motorboat left a harbor and traveled to an island at an average rate of 11 knots. The average speed on the return trip was 10 knots. If the total trip took 4.2 hours, how far is the harbor from the island?
To find the distance between the harbor and the island, we can use the formula:
Distance = Speed x Time
Let's break down the information provided in the problem:
1. The average speed of the motorboat on the trip to the island was 11 knots.
2. The average speed of the motorboat on the return trip was 10 knots.
3. The total trip took 4.2 hours.
Now, we need to use this information to calculate the distance.
First, let's calculate the time it took to travel to the island. We'll call this time "t1".
Since we know the distance to the island is the same as the distance back to the harbor, we can assume t1 is half of the total trip time:
t1 = 4.2 / 2 = 2.1 hours
Next, let's calculate the distance traveled on the trip to the island. We'll call this distance "d1".
Using the formula Distance = Speed x Time, we have:
d1 = 11 knots x 2.1 hours
d1 = 23.1 nautical miles
Therefore, the distance between the harbor and the island is 23.1 nautical miles.