Could you please help me

Question

a kayaker travels x miles per hour downstream for 4 hours. on the 6-hour return trip the kayaker travels 2 mile per hour slower. How far did the kayaker travel in total

Answer 1

Distance = rate * time, d = rt

Looking at the downstream direction: rate is x, time is 4hrs, therefore

4x = distance traveled downstream

Looking at the upstream direction, rate is x-2 and time is 6hrs:

6(x-2) = distance traveled upstream

Set the two expressions equal (because the distance traveled upstream = distance traveled downstream) and solve for x.

(6)