A boat travels at a constant speed with respect to still water. Now suppose the water is moving with respect to the bank at a speed almost as large as the speed of the boat with respect to still water. Compare the time taken for a round trip of constant distance (with respect to the bank) in the boat under two scenarios: downstream, then upstream or cross-stream, then back. The "down-up" time is
A) larger than the "across-back" time.
B) equal to the "across-back" time.
C) less than the "across-back" time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When traveling downstream and then upstream, the effective speed of the boat is reduced due to the current, increasing the round trip time compared to traveling across the stream and back, where the current has no effect on the round trip time.

A Boat Travels at a Constant Speed with Respect to Still