Chapter 11.1, Problem 61AYU

To determine

To find: Computing Wind Speed With a tail wind, a small Piper aircraft can fly 600 miles in 3 hours. Against this same wind, the Piper can fly the same distance in 4 hours. Find the average wind speed and the average airspeed of the Piper.

Answer to Problem 61AYU

The average airspeed is 175 mph and average wind speed is 25 mph.

Explanation of Solution

Given:

A small Piper aircraft can fly 600 miles in 3 hours. Against this same wind, the Piper can fly the same distance in 4 hours.

Calculation:

It is given that small piper aircraft can fly 600 miles in 3 hours.

$\text{Rate }=\text{ speed}/\text{time}$.

We have, $\text{Rate }=\frac{600}{3}=200\text{ mph}$.

Also it is given that piper can fly the same distance in 4 hours against the same wind.

$\text{Rate }=\frac{600}{4}=150\text{ mph}$.

Average Airspeed $=\frac{200+150}{2}=175\text{ mph}$.

Wind speed $=\frac{200-150}{2}=25\text{ mph}$.

Therefore, the average airspeed is 175 mph and average wind speed is 25 mph.