A kayak moves at a rate of 10 mph in still water. If the river's current flows at a rate of 2 mph, how long does it take the boat to travel 24 miles upstream?
So the effective speed is 8 mph
time = 24 miles/8 mph = 3 hours
To solve this problem, we need to consider the relative motion of the kayak and the river's current.
When the kayak is moving upstream, it is going against the current. This means that the effective speed of the kayak will be reduced by the speed of the current.
In this case, the speed of the kayak in still water is 10 mph, and the current is flowing at a rate of 2 mph. So, when moving upstream, the effective speed of the kayak is 10 mph - 2 mph = 8 mph.
Now, we can calculate the time it takes for the kayak to travel 24 miles upstream by using the formula:
Time = Distance / Speed
Plugging in the given values, we get:
Time = 24 miles / 8 mph
Simplifying, we find:
Time = 3 hours
Therefore, it would take the kayak 3 hours to travel 24 miles upstream.