PLEASE HELP A boat travels downstream 10 miles and returns to the starting point in 2 hours. If the speed of the stream is 15 mph, find the speed of the boat in still
water. A. 20.81mph B. 30.24mph C.25.67 D.15mph

A. 20.81 mph

Step-by-step explanation:

x = speed of the boat in still water.

one part of the trip is 10 miles downstream, where the speed of the boat and the speed of the current add together.

and the other part of the trip is the trip back the 10 miles upstream, where the speed of the current works against the speed of the boat :

10/(x + 15) + 10/(x - 15) = 2

10 + 10×(x+15)/(x-15) = 2×(x+15)

10×(x-15) + 10×(x+15) = 2×(x+15)×(x-15)

20x = 2×(x² - 225)

10x = x² - 225

0 = x² - 10x - 225

solution of a quadratic equation

x = (-b ± sqrt(b² - 4ac)) / (2a)

a = 1

b = -10

c = - 225

(10 ± sqrt(100 - 4×1×-225)) / 2 =

= (10 ± sqrt (100 + 900)) / 2 = (10 ± sqrt(1000)) / 2 =

= (10 ± 31.62) / 2

x1 = 41.62 / 2 = 20.81 mph

x2 is negative and did not make any sense.

this doesn't make sense lol