We're right in the thick of Olympics fever! As you root for your favorites, take a quick math minute to solve this week's installment of Word Problem Wednesday. We'll update with the answer tomorrow.
It takes an Olympic canoe paddler 1 minute and 20 seconds to paddle a 300 meter course in the direction of the current. If the current moves at a rate of 1.5 meters per second, then how fast can the paddler paddle in still water?
Update: Here's the solution!
The speed at which the paddler paddles the course is his own paddling speed, plus the rate of the current. If he paddles 300 meters in 80 seconds, then he’s moving 3.75 meters per second. So, 3.75 mps is equal to his own paddling plus the 1.5 mps the current is pushing him: 3.75 = P + 1.5. P, the rate at which the paddler paddles, is therefore 2.25 meters per second.
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