BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Work problem I cant seem to solve

Expert replies
by sev » Wed May 02, 2007 2:18 pm
Two pipes A & B can fill a swimming pool at a consant rate in 60 hours, 40 hours, or 24 hours, depending on whether pipe A alone, pipe B alone, or both pipes are used. If the pool is filled by using pipe B alone for half the time and both pipes for half the time, how many hours does it take to fill the pool?


Now i know sort of how to solve this problem, but the solution explanation throws me off and I get the problem wrong obviously.

usually work problems are sovled by an equation much like the following right?

time/job1 + time/job2 = 1 <--- one being the whole job

so wouldnt this problem be solved like this?:


1/40 (for pipe b) + 1/24 (for both) = X <--- being the time for both combinations to fill the pool

right?


but the solution set says that this is the formula:


.05t/40+.05t/24=1

I dont quite get that problem

okay so the =1 is the whole pool, I get that

obviously .05 isnt the half the time it takes to fill the pool either? That would be .5

so where did the .05t come from?
Join the discussion
Source: — Problem Solving |

Re: Work problem I cant seem to solve

by jayhawk2001 » Wed May 02, 2007 3:31 pm
sev wrote: so wouldnt this problem be solved like this?:

1/40 (for pipe b) + 1/24 (for both) = X <--- being the time for both combinations to fill the pool

right?
You almost have it right. So, I'd suggest that you stick with your approach.

x*1/24 + x*1/40 = 1
Solving for x, we get 15

So, time taken = 15 + 15 = 30 hours.
Join the discussion

Re: Work problem I cant seem to solve

by ns88 » Fri May 11, 2007 5:06 am
sev wrote:

.05t/40+.05t/24=1
correction: 0.5t/40 +0.5t/24=1
Join the discussion