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Preface
The Digi-notes (The Problems on Boats/Stream) as presented here is
prepared strictly according to IBPS-PO, IBPS-Clerk, IBPS-SO and other
PO/Clerk level competitive exams. The main aim of the Digi-notes is
to develop the concept of the Boat and Stream so that candidate
would be able to handle the quantitative problems of the real world
easily and conveniently and hence in their competitive exams.
Candidates are advised to handle the Digi-notes by keeping in mind
that they are going to LEARN (NOT STUDY) the Boat and Stream so
that you; yourself would be able to minimize the steps required to
conclude the answer of the question and hence develop the SHORT
TRICKS.
All the best

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 Contents
1. Preface ..2
2. Contents 3
3. Introduction 4
4. Discussion.................................................................................4
5. Self-Analysis Time ..6

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 BOAT AND STREAM
Introduction
The problems on boat and stream is purely based on how accurately
you are able to handle the = . Here you would have to take a
special care of speed as there are four different types of speeds which
you could encounter in the question; these are:
1. The speed of the boat in still water (The speed when the boat
actually rows in pond).
2. The Speed of the same Boat Downstream in a river
3. The Speed of the same Boat Upstream in a river
4. The speed of the stream of the river
What you would have to do is to bifurcate these four speeds in the
questions and then apply it in our usual relation of = . Let us
bifurcate it with the following discussion.
Discussion:
1. In a stream/river/water;
The direction along the stream is called downstream.
The direction against the stream is called upstream.

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 2. If the speed of a boat in still water is x km/hr and the speed of
the stream is y km/hr; then:

( )
= ( + ) /

( )
= ( ) /

From the figure; we have;

=+
=
By Solving we have;
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 The Speed of the boat in still water;
+
=
And the speed of thee stream;

=

Self-Analysis time:

1. A boat can travel with a speed of 13 km/hr. in still water. If the

speed of the stream is 4 km/hr, find the time taken by the boat
to go 68 km downstream.

DDownstream S Downstream TDownstream

68km 13 4 t
68km
t 4hrs.
17km / hrs.

2. A man's speed with the current is 15 km/hr. and the speed of

the current is 2.5 km/hr. Find the man's speed against the
current.
S Downstraem SUpstream
S Current
2
15 SUpstream
2.5km / hr
2
SUpstream 10km / hr

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3. A boat running upstream takes 8 hours 48 minutes to cover a
certain distance, while it takes 4 hours to cover the same
distance running downstream. What is the ratio between the
speed of the boat and speed of the water current respectively?

DUpstream D Downstream
S Upstream TUpstream S Downstream TDownstream
S Boat S Current TUpstream S Boat S Current TDownstream
48
S Boat S Current 8 hrs S Boat S Current 4hrs
60
S S Current 4
Boat
S Boat S Current 8 4
5
S S Current 5
Boat
S Boat S Current 11
11S Boat 11S Current 5S Boat 5S Current
6S Boat 16S Current
S Boat : S Current 8 : 3

4. A motorboat, whose speed in 15 km/hr. in still water goes 30 km

downstream and comes back in a total of 4 hours 30 minutes.

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 Find the speed of the stream (in km/hr.).

TDownstream TUpstream TTotal

D Downstream DUpstream
TTotal
S Downstream SUpstream
30km 30km 1
4 hrs.
15 S Stream 15 S Stream 2
S Stream 5km / hr

5. In one hour, a boat goes 11 km/hr. along the stream and 5

km/hr against the stream. Find the speed of the boat in still
water (in km/hr.).

S Upstream S Downstraem
S StillWater
2
S StillWater
11 5km/hr
2
S StillWater 8km/hr

6. A boat running downstream covers a distance of 16 km in 2

hours while for covering the same distance upstream, it takes 4
hours. What is the speed of the boat in still water?

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7. The speed of a boat in still water in 15 km/hr. and the rate of
current is 3 km/hr. Find the distance travelled downstream in 12
minutes.

D Downstream S DownstreamTDownstream
D Downstream S Boat S Stream TDownstream

D Downstream 15 3km / hr
12
hrs.
60
D Downstream 3.6km

8. A boat takes 90 minutes less to travel 36 miles downstream than

to travel the same distance upstream. If the speed of the boat in
still water is 10 mph, find the speed of the stream.

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 TDownstream TUpstream TDifference
DDownstream DUpstream
TDifference
S Downstream SUpstream
DDownstream DUpstream
TDifference
S Still S Stream S Still S Stream
36 miles 36 miles 90
hrs.
10 miles / hr S Stream 10 miles / hr S Stream 60
S Stream 2 miles / hrs.

9. A man can row at 5 km/h in still water. If the velocity of current

is 1 km/h and it takes him 1 hour to row to a place and come
back, how far is the place?

TDownstream TUpstream TTotal

DDownstream DUpstream
TTotal
S Downstream SUpstream
DDownstream DUpstream
TTotal
S Still S Stream S Still S Stream
d d
1hrs.
5 km / hr 1 km / hr 5 km / hr 1 km / hr
d 2.4 km

10. A boat covers a certain distance downstream in 1 hour,

while it comes back in 1hours. If the speed of the stream be 3
kmph, what is the speed of the boat in still water?

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DDownstream DUpstream
S Downstream TDownstream SUptream TUpstream
S Still S Stream TDownstream S Still S Stream TUpstream

S Still 3 1 S Still 3
3
2
S Still 15km / hr

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