A plane flying at its maximum speed can go 220 miles per hour with a tailwind or 160 miles per hour into a headwind. What is the wind speed?
A) 30 miles per hour
B) 35 miles per hour
C) 160 miles per hour
D) 60 miles per hour
E) 25 miles per hour

Question

A plane flying at its maximum speed can go 220 miles per hour with a tailwind or 160 miles per hour into a headwind. What is the wind speed? ​
A) 30 miles per hour
B) 35 miles per hour
C) 160 miles per hour
D) 60 miles per hour
E) 25 miles per hour

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let's represent the speed of the plane as "p" and the speed of the wind as "w".

With the tailwind, the speed of the plane is p+w=220. 
With the headwind, the speed of the plane is p-w=160.

We can set up a system of equations:
p+w=220
p-w=160

We can solve for p by adding the two equations:
2p=380
p=190

Now we can substitute p=190 into one of the equations to solve for w:
190+w=220
w=30

Therefore, the wind speed is 30 miles per hour.

A Plane Flying at Its Maximum Speed Can Go 220