If we decrease the distance traveled over the same period of time, this will choices: decrease the speed.. increase the velocity.. increase the speed.. have no effect on speed or velocity.

The boat's velocity relative to the riverbank can be resolved into two components. the component going north is 2.7 m/s and the component going west is 1.2 m/s.we add these two vectors and then find the magnitude of the resultant to get the speed.the magnitude of the resultant vector from adding can be obtained by the pythagorean theorem.    to two significant figures, the boat's speed relative to the riverbank is 3.0 m/s.