A man can row 7.5 kmph in still water and he finds that it takes him twice as long to row up as to row down the river. Find the rate of the stream.

Given that, time is taken to travel upstream = 2 × times taken to travel downstream
When the distance is constant, speed is inversely proportional to the time
Hence, 2 × speed upstream = speed downstream
Let speed upstream = x
Then speed downstream 2x
we have,
1/2(x + 2x) = speed in still water
⇒ 1/2(3x)=7.5
⇒ 3x = 15
⇒ x = 5
i.e., speed upstream = 5 km/hr
Rate of stream = 1/2(2x - x)
= x/2
= 5/2
= 2.5 km/hr.