Skip to main contentSkip to solution

BBA-DBE Bangalore 2025 PYQsQuantitative Ability. Free, no login required.

The time taken by a boat to cover a certain distance in still water is 20% less than the time it takes to cover the same distance upstream. The speed of the stream is 4.5 km/h. How much total time (in hours) will the boat take to cover 60 km downstream and 30 km upstream?

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 2

Let the speed of the boat in still water be VV km/h and the speed of the stream be 4.54.5 km/h.

For the same distance DD:

  • Time in still water = DV\dfrac{D}{V}
  • Time upstream = DV−4.5\dfrac{D}{V - 4.5}

Given that time in still water is 20%20\% less than time upstream:

DV=0.8×DV−4.5\dfrac{D}{V} = 0.8 \times \dfrac{D}{V - 4.5}


Cancel DD from both sides:

1V=0.8V−4.5\dfrac{1}{V} = \dfrac{0.8}{V - 4.5}

V−4.5=0.8VV - 4.5 = 0.8V

0.2V=4.50.2V = 4.5

V=22.5V = 22.5 km/h


Calculate actual speeds:

  • Upstream speed = V−4.5=22.5−4.5=18V - 4.5 = 22.5 - 4.5 = 18 km/h
  • Downstream speed = V+4.5=22.5+4.5=27V + 4.5 = 22.5 + 4.5 = 27 km/h

Time for 6060 km downstream:

6027=209\dfrac{60}{27} = \dfrac{20}{9} hours

Time for 3030 km upstream:

3018=53\dfrac{30}{18} = \dfrac{5}{3} hours


Total time = 209+53=209+159=359\dfrac{20}{9} + \dfrac{5}{3} = \dfrac{20}{9} + \dfrac{15}{9} = \dfrac{35}{9} hours

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Left arrow: Previous question
  • Right arrow: Next question
  • S key: Jump to solution
  • Q key: Jump to question