Question

A swimmer is capable of swimming 0.42 m/s in still water. part a if she aims her body directly across a 66-m-wide river whose current is 0.32 m/s , how far downstream (from a point opposite her starting point) will she land

Answer 1

If the swimmer is swimming perpendicular to the current, it will take her 66m / 0.42 m/s = 157.14 seconds to cross the river. At the same time, the current will be taking her downstream at a rate of 0.32 m/s. So, when she reaches the opposite bank, her total downstream distance traveled will have been 0.32*157.14 = 50.28 meters.