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Boats & Streams questions for bank exams

Boats and streams questions find the speed of a boat in still water and the speed of the stream from upstream and downstream times. Plutomonk has 1,040 Boats & Streams questions in Prelims and Mains sets of 10, each with a worked solution. They are useful for IBPS PO, SBI PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI Clerk, IBPS RRB and RBI Assistant.

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Quick tip

Boat speed is (down + up)/2 and stream speed is (down − up)/2. Every question uses these two lines.

Boats & Streams sample questions with answers

These are from the first Prelims and Mains sets. Try each question before you open the solution.

Q1. The speed of a boat in still water is 31 km/h and the stream flows at 3 km/h. How long will it take to go 136 km downstream?

  1. 4 hours
  2. 6 hours
  3. 5 hours
  4. 2 hours
  5. 3 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: A. 4 hours

Downstream speed = 34 km/h. Time = 136/34 = 4 hours.

Q2. A boat goes 138 km downstream in 3 hours and 108 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

  1. 36 km/h
  2. 41 km/h
  3. 40 km/h
  4. 43 km/h
  5. 5 km/h
Show answer and solution

Answer: B. 41 km/h

Downstream = 46, upstream = 36. Boat = (46 + 36)/2 = 41 km/h.

Q3. A boat goes 117 km downstream in 3 hours and 93 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

  1. 37 km/h
  2. 4 km/h
  3. 31 km/h
  4. 35 km/h
  5. 34 km/h
Show answer and solution

Answer: D. 35 km/h

Downstream = 39, upstream = 31. Boat = (39 + 31)/2 = 35 km/h.

Q4. The speed of a boat in still water is 17 km/h and the stream flows at 4 km/h. How long will it take to go 84 km downstream?

  1. 3 hours
  2. 5 hours
  3. 6.46 hours
  4. 6 hours
  5. 4 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: E. 4 hours

Downstream speed = 21 km/h. Time = 84/21 = 4 hours.

Q5. A boat goes 105 km downstream in 3 hours and 75 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

  1. 5 km/h
  2. 35 km/h
  3. 29 km/h
  4. 32 km/h
  5. 30 km/h
Show answer and solution

Answer: E. 30 km/h

Downstream = 35, upstream = 25. Boat = (35 + 25)/2 = 30 km/h.

Q6. The speed of a boat in still water is 36 km/h and the stream flows at 4 km/h. How long will it take to go 160 km downstream?

  1. 5 hours
  2. 2 hours
  3. 6 hours
  4. 3 hours
  5. 4 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: E. 4 hours

Downstream speed = 40 km/h. Time = 160/40 = 4 hours.

Q7. A boat goes 84 km downstream in 3 hours and 36 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

  1. 19 km/h
  2. 22 km/h
  3. 12 km/h
  4. 20 km/h
  5. 8 km/h
Show answer and solution

Answer: D. 20 km/h

Downstream = 28, upstream = 12. Boat = (28 + 12)/2 = 20 km/h.

Q8. A boat goes 84 km downstream in 3 hours and 60 km upstream in 3 hours. Find the speed of the boat in still water.

  1. 23 km/h
  2. 26 km/h
  3. 28 km/h
  4. 4 km/h
  5. 24 km/h
Show answer and solution

Answer: E. 24 km/h

Downstream = 28, upstream = 20. Boat = (28 + 20)/2 = 24 km/h.

Q9. A boat's speed in still water is 31 km/h and the current is 4 km/h. It goes 945 km downstream and returns. Find the total time taken.

  1. 63 hours
  2. 62 hours
  3. 60.97 hours
  4. 64.5 hours
  5. 61 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: B. 62 hours

Down: 945/35 = 27 h. Up: 945/27 = 35 h. Total 62 hours.

Q10. A boat's speed in still water is 20 km/h and the current is 8 km/h. It goes 672 km downstream and returns. Find the total time taken.

  1. 82.5 hours
  2. 80 hours
  3. 79 hours
  4. 67.2 hours
  5. 56 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: B. 80 hours

Down: 672/28 = 24 h. Up: 672/12 = 56 h. Total 80 hours.

Q11. A boat's speed in still water is 24 km/h and the current is 6 km/h. It goes 1620 km downstream and returns. Find the total time taken.

  1. 145 hours
  2. 146.5 hours
  3. 143 hours
  4. 135 hours
  5. 144 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: E. 144 hours

Down: 1620/30 = 54 h. Up: 1620/18 = 90 h. Total 144 hours.

Q12. A boat's speed in still water is 20 km/h and the current is 5 km/h. It goes 750 km downstream and returns. Find the total time taken.

  1. 75 hours
  2. 80 hours
  3. 81 hours
  4. 82.5 hours
  5. 79 hours
Show answer and solution

Answer: B. 80 hours

Down: 750/25 = 30 h. Up: 750/15 = 50 h. Total 80 hours.

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