The hiking trail
In hiking to the top of Mount Gosford Michelle takes the same trail going up and going down the mountain. She calculates that her average speed going down is twice her average speed going up. If her average speed for the hike (going up and then going down) is 4 km /h, what is her average speed going down?
Clarification: She does not spend time at the top of the mountain.
The answer is 6.
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1 solution
The distance up to the top=x Speed going up=v Speed coming down=2v Time it took to climb up=x/v Time it took to come down=x/2v If her average speed is 4, then 2x/((x/v)+(x/3v))=4 =>4v/3=4 =>v=3 Her speed coming down is 6.