BOATS & STREAMS

Formulae:
o If the speed of a boat in still water be x km/hr and the speed of the stream be
y km/hr, then:
Speed of boat along the stream (ie down stream) = (x + y) km/hour
Speed of boat against the stream (ie upstream) = (x – y) km/hour

o If a man rows in still water at x km/hr and the rate of current (or stream) is y km/hr, then
Man’s rate with the current = (x + y) km/hr
Man’s rate against the current = (x – y) km/hr

o Rate in still water = 1/2 (rate with the current + rate against the current)

o Rate of current = 1/2 (rate with the current – rate against the current)

EXERCISE
1. A man can row with the stream at 10 km/hr and against the stream at 5 km/hr. Man’s rate in still water
is:
(a) 5 km/hr (b) 2.5 km/hr (c) 7.5 km/hr (d) 15 km/hr

2. The speed of a boat in still water is 2 km/hr. If its speed upstream be 1 km/hr then speed of the
stream is:
(a) 2 km/hr (b) 3 km/hr (c) 1 km/hr (d) 4 km/hr

3. The speed of a boat in still water is 10 km/hr. If its speed downstream be 13 km/hr, then speed of the
stream is:
(a) 1 km/hr (b) 3 km/hr (c) 11.5 km/hr (d) 6 km/hr

4. A boat moves downstream at the rate of 1 km in 6 minutes and upstream at the rate of 1 km in 10
minutes. The speed of the current is:
(a) 2 km/hr (b) 1 km/hr (c) 1.5 km/hr (d) 3 km/hr

5. The speed of a boat in still water is 15 km/hr and the rate of current is 3 km/hr. The distance traveled
downstream in 12 minutes is:
(a) 3.6 km (b) 2.4 km (c) 1.2 km (d) 1.8 km

6. A man rows upstream 11 km and downstream 26 km taking 5 hours each time. The velocity of the
current is:
(a) 7.5 km/hr (b) 2.5 km/hr (c) 1.5 km/hr (d) 1 km/hr

7. A boat goes 14 km upstream in 56 minutes. The speed of stream is 2 km/hr. The speed of the boat in
still water is:
(a) 6 km/hr (b) 15 km/hr (c) 14 km/hr (d) 17 km/hr
8. The speed of a boat downstream is 15 km/hr and the speed of the stream is
1.5 km/hr. The speed of the boat upstream is:
(a) 10 km/hr (b) 11 km/hr (c) 12 km/hr (d) 15 km/hr

9. A boat goes 40 km upstream in 8 hours and a distance of 36 km downstream in 6 hours. The speed of
the boat in standing water is:
(a) 6.5 km/hr (b) 6 km/hr (c) 5.5 km/hr (d) 5 km/hr

10. If a man rows at the rate of 5 km/hr in still water and his rate against the current is 3.5 km/hr, then
the man’s rate along the current is:
(a) 8.5 km/hr (b) 6.5 km/hr (c) 6 km/hr (d) 5 km/hr

11. If a man’s rate with the current is 12 km/hr and the rate of current is 1.5 km/hr, then the man’s rate
against the current is:
(a) 9 km/hr (b) 6.75 km/hr (c) 5.25 km/hr (d) 7 km/hr

12. Speed of a boat in standing water is 7 km/hr and the speed of the stream is 1.5 km/hr. A distance of
7.7 km, going upstream is covered in:
(a) 1 hr 15 min (b) 1 hr 12 min (c) 1 hr 24 min (d) 2 hr 6 min

13. A man can row 5 km/hr in still water. If the river is running at 1 km/hr, it takes him 1 hour to row to a
place and back. How far is the place?
(a) 2.5 km (b) 2.4 km (c) 3 km (d) 3.6 km

14. A boat travels upstream from B to A and downstream from A to B in 3 hours. If the speed of the boat
in still water is 9 km/hr and the speed of current is 3 km/hr, the distance between A and B (in km) is:
(a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 8 (d) 12

1c 2c 3b 4a 5a 6c 7d 8c 9c 10b 11a 12c 13b 14d