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Canoe trip back to camp against a 2 mph current

Question

Some friends leave their campsite by canoe, paddling upstream for 33 hours. They then turn and paddle downstream for 55 hours, finishing 3232 miles downstream of the campsite. The river runs downstream at a steady 22 mph and their paddling speed in still water is constant. The following morning they paddle upstream back to the campsite, reaching it at 7:00 PM. At what time did they set off? Give the time as a 24-hour number without a colon (e.g. 4:30 AM is 430430, 4:30 PM is 16301630).

Short answer

1340. With still-water speed xx, net displacement is 3(x−2)−5(x+2)=−323(x-2)-5(x+2)=-32, so x=8x=8 mph. Going upstream at 66 mph, 3232 miles takes 5135\tfrac13 hours, i.e. 5 h 20 min, so they left at 1:40 PM.

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