The problem asks to determine the time the boat spends crossing the river and the distance it drifts downstream. Here's how we can solve it using the information provided in the image:

Information Given:

1. Width of the river (vertical distance) = 28.8 m
2. Speed of the boat relative to the river (vertical direction) = 2.86 m/s
3. Speed of the river's current (horizontal direction) = 3.57 m/s

Step 1: Time to cross the river

The boat's velocity in the vertical direction is 2.86 m/s. Since the boat is moving perpendicular to the current, the time it takes to cross the river depends only on this vertical speed and the width of the river.

$\text{Time} = \frac{\text{Width of the river}}{\text{Speed of the boat vertically}} = \frac{28.8}{2.86} \approx 10.07 \, \text{seconds}$

Step 2: Distance drifted downstream

The river's current causes the boat to drift in the horizontal direction while it crosses the river. The horizontal speed is 3.57 m/s, and the boat spends approximately 10.07 seconds crossing.

$\text{Distance drifted} = \text{Speed of the current} \times \text{Time} = 3.57 \times 10.07 \approx 35.96 \, \text{meters}$

Final Answers:

• Time: 10.07 seconds
• Distance drifted: 35.96 meters

Would you like further clarification or details on any step?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. What would happen if the river current was faster?
2. How does the boat's speed in the vertical direction affect the time to cross?
3. How can the boat compensate to minimize drifting downstream?
4. What would the total displacement of the boat be when it reaches the other side?
5. How would the time change if the river was narrower?

Tip: When solving problems involving motion in two dimensions, always break the motion into perpendicular components (vertical and horizontal) to simplify calculations!