Question

Please help! I'm unsure how to calculate this:
Going against the current, a boat takes 6 hours to make a 120-mile trip. When the boat travels with the current on the return trip, it takes 5 hours. What is the rate of the boat in still water?
I know that r = 120/t, but i'm unsure about how to calculate. Here's what I've tried so far:

Answer 1

it's in still water, so there is no presence of a current. i canceled them out: 6-5 = 1. But, I KNOW that the rate is not 120 mph!

Answer 2

so then i tried putting the two equations together, so...
5x + 5y = 120 and 6x -6y = 120
11x - y = 240
but obv that doesn't help =/

Answer 3

there's some other stuff i wrote but it didn't help and the math doesn't "add up" lol>pun

Answer 4

maybe i need to use a diff approach to the problem?

Answer 5

d=120 ... d=rt ... 120=(6)*(r+c) ... 120=5*(r-c) ... 6r+6c= 5r-5c ... minus 5r to both sides, and minus 6c to both sides. r=-11c ...
120=6(-11c+c) ... 120=-66c+6c c=-2
r=22

Answer 6

ok thank you =)