Answer:
3 miles per hour
Step-by-step explanation:
Let x miles per hour be the current of the river.
1. The boat travels 2.4 miles downstream with the speed of (21+x) miles per hour. It takes him
[tex]\dfrac{2.4}{21+x}\ hours.[/tex]
2. The boat travels 1.8 miles upstream with the speed of (21-x) miles per hour. It takes him
[tex]\dfrac{1.8}{21-x}\ hours.[/tex]
3. The time is the same, so
[tex]\dfrac{2.4}{21+x}=\dfrac{1.8}{21-x}[/tex]
Cross multiply:
[tex]2.4(21-x)=1.8(21+x)[/tex]
Multiply it by 10:
[tex]24(21-x)=18(21+x)[/tex]
Divide it by 6:
[tex]4(21-x)=3(21+x)\\ \\84-4x=63+3x\\ \\84-63=3x+4x\\ \\7x=21\\ \\x=3\ mph[/tex]