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# It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river

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Director
Joined: 22 Jun 2014
Posts: 896

Kudos [?]: 420 [1], given: 111

Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Technology
GMAT 1: 540 Q45 V20
GPA: 2.49
WE: Information Technology (Computer Software)
It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river [#permalink]

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12 Sep 2017, 12:42
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Difficulty:

45% (medium)

Question Stats:

72% (01:04) correct 28% (01:36) wrong based on 43 sessions

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It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river flowing at 3 mph as it does to paddle 12 miles down a river flowing at 4 mph. How fast does Sarah paddle in still water?

A) 4 mph

B) 3 1/2 mph

C) 3 mph

D) 2 1/2 mph

E) 2 mph

Source: 800Score
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

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Kudos [?]: 420 [1], given: 111

Director
Joined: 22 May 2016
Posts: 821

Kudos [?]: 266 [0], given: 552

It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river [#permalink]

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12 Sep 2017, 14:47
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HKD1710 wrote:
It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river flowing at 3 mph as it does to paddle 12 miles down a river flowing at 4 mph. How fast does Sarah paddle in still water?

A) 4 mph

B) 3 1/2 mph

C) 3 mph

D) 2 1/2 mph

E) 2 mph

Source: 800Score

It takes Sarah the same amount of time to paddle 10 miles down a river with a current of 3 mph as it does to paddle 12 miles down a river with a current of 4 mph.

Because travel times are equal, use D/r = t to find variable expressions for $$t_1$$ and $$t_2$$, then set $$t_1$$ equal to $$t_2$$ to solve for rate of Sarah's paddling.

Let x = Sarah's paddling rate in still water

First river
Distance = 10 miles
Rate = x + 3 (mph)

(Per prompt, the river current here adds 3 miles per hour to Sarah's paddling)

Time = Distance/Rate

First river TIME, $$t_1$$ : $$\frac{10}{(x + 3)}$$

Second river
Distance = 12 miles
Rate = x + 4

Second river TIME, $$t_2$$ : $$\frac{12}{(x + 4)}$$

Times are equal, so

$$\frac{10}{(x + 3)}$$ = $$\frac{12}{(x + 4)}$$

10x + 40 = 12x + 36
4 = 2x
x = 2 mph

[Reveal] Spoiler:
E

Kudos [?]: 266 [0], given: 552

Target Test Prep Representative
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Joined: 04 Mar 2011
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Kudos [?]: 837 [0], given: 5

Re: It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river [#permalink]

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15 Sep 2017, 10:17
HKD1710 wrote:
It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river flowing at 3 mph as it does to paddle 12 miles down a river flowing at 4 mph. How fast does Sarah paddle in still water?

A) 4 mph

B) 3 1/2 mph

C) 3 mph

D) 2 1/2 mph

E) 2 mph

We can let Sarah’s rate of paddling in still water = r. When the river is flowing at 3 mph downstream, her rate is r + 3, and when the river is flowing at 4 mph downstream, her rate is r + 4.

Recall that distance = rate x time, and thus time = distance/rate. Since it It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river flowing at 3 mph as it does to paddle 12 miles down a river flowing at 4 mph, we set the two times equal to each other:

10/(r + 3) = 12/(r + 4)

10(r + 4) = 12(r + 3)

10r + 40 = 12r + 36

4 = 2r

2 = r

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Kudos [?]: 837 [0], given: 5

Re: It takes Sarah as long to paddle 10 miles downstream on a river   [#permalink] 15 Sep 2017, 10:17
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