Question

a kayaker travels x miles per hour downstream for 3 hours. on the 4-hour return trip, the kayaker travels 1 mile per hour slower. how far did the kayaker travel in total?

Answer 1

3x is the miles from downstream
4 (x - 1) is the return trip 

Solution:
3x = 4 (x - 1)
3x =4x - 4
-x = -4 
x = 4 

The outward journey 3x = 12 miles 
Return journey is same length 
Therefore the distance travel is 24 miles

Answer 2

Answer:

The answer is 24 miles.

Step-by-step explanation:

We know that distance = rate * time

Length of the journey = $3x$ from downstream

Length of the journey = $4(x-1)$ from return trip

As the distance is same, we will equate both the journey lengths.

$3x= 4(x-1)$

Solving for x;

$3x=4x-4$

$-x=-4$

x = 4

Thus the forward journey, $3x=3(4)$ = 12 miles.

Return journey will be of same length that is 12 miles.

The total distance traveled is $12+12=24$ miles.

Therefore, the answer is 24 miles.