Explanation:
Let speed of motor boat be m and speed of current be c.
A motorboat traveling with a current can go 160 km in 4 hours.
Distance = 160 km
Time = 4 hours
Speed = m + c
We have
Distance = Speed x Time
160 = (m+c) x 4
m + c = 40 --------------------- eqn 1
Against the current it takes 5 hours to go the same distance.
Distance = 160 km
Time = 5 hours
Speed = m - c
We have
Distance = Speed x Time
160 = (m-c) x 5
m - c = 32 --------------------- eqn 2
eqn 1 + eqn 2
2m = 40 + 32
m = 36 km/hr
Substituting in eqn 1
36 + c = 40
c = 4 km/hr
Speed of motorboat is 36 km/hr and speed of current is 4 km/hr.
