Mary takes a sightseeing tour on a helicopter that can fly 450 miles against a 35 mph headwind. In the same amount of time it can travel 702 miles with a 35 mph tailwind. Find the speed of the helicopter.Provide your answer below:s=____mph

Answer :

Given:

When flying against a headwind:

Distance = 450 miles

Speed = v - 35 mph

When flying tailwind:

Distance = 702 miles

Speed = v + 35 mph

Let's find the speed of the helicopter.

Apply the formula:

[tex]v=\frac{d}{t}[/tex]

Where:

v is the speed

d is the distance

t is the time

Rewrite the equation for time (t):

[tex]t=\frac{d}{v}[/tex]

Thus, we have the equations:

Time when flying against headwind:

[tex]t=\frac{450}{v-35}[/tex]

Time when flying tailwind:

[tex]t=\frac{702}{v+35}[/tex]

Eliminate the equal sides of the equations and combine.

We have:

[tex]\frac{450}{v-35}=\frac{702}{v+35}[/tex]

Let's solve for the speed, v.

Cross multiply:

[tex]450(v+35)=702(v-35)[/tex]

Apply distributive property:

[tex]\begin{gathered} 450(v)+450(35)=702(v)+702(-35) \\ \\ 450v+15750=702v-24570 \end{gathered}[/tex]

subtract 15750 from both sides:

[tex]\begin{gathered} 450v+15750-15750=702v-24570-15750 \\ \\ 450v=702v-40320 \end{gathered}[/tex]

Subtract 702v from both sides:

[tex]\begin{gathered} 450v-702v=702v-702v-40320 \\ \\ -252v=-40320 \end{gathered}[/tex]

Divide both sides by -252:

[tex]\begin{gathered} \frac{-252v}{-252}=\frac{-40320}{-252} \\ \\ v=160 \end{gathered}[/tex]

Therefore, the speed of the helicopter is 160 mph

ANSWER:

s = 160 mph