One solution might be to set up a table.
| Distance | Rate | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st flight | \(432(x)\) | 432 miles/hour | x |
| 2nd flight | 480(9) | 480 miles/hour | 9 hours |
| Together | \(432x=480(9)\) | \((9+x)\) |
Since the distance is the same each way, we know that the rate times the time of the first flight must be equal to the rate times the distance of the second flight or
\[Rate*Time=Rate*Time\]
\[432x=480(9)\]
\[x=10\]
The return flight was ten hours.
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