Source: Official Guide
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours. S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 15
E. 20
The OA is E.
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at the
This topic has expert replies
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 415
- Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:52 am
- Thanked: 27 times
We're told that S and T can do the full job in 5 hours. So, in working together with R for 4 hours, they must complete 4/5 of the total job themselves.swerve wrote:Source: Official Guide
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours. S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 15
E. 20
The OA is E.
That leaves 1/5 of the job for R to do in the 4 hours, implying that R could do the whole job in [spoiler] 5 x 4 = 20, E[/spoiler]
GMAT/MBA Expert
- Brent@GMATPrepNow
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 16207
- Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Thanked: 5254 times
- Followed by:1268 members
- GMAT Score:770
----------ASIDE--------------------swerve wrote:Source: Official Guide
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours. S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 15
E. 20
The OA is E.
For work questions, there are two useful rules:
Rule #1: If a person can complete an entire job in k hours, then in one hour, the person can complete 1/k of the job
Example: If it takes Sue 5 hours to complete a job, then in one hour, she can complete 1/5 of the job. In other words, her work rate is 1/5 of the job per hour
Rule #2: If a person completes a/b of the job in one hour, then it will take b/a hours to complete the entire job
Example: If Sam can complete 1/8 of the job in one hour, then it will take him 8/1 hours to complete the job.
Likewise, if Joe can complete 2/3 of the job in one hour, then it will take him 3/2 hours to complete the job.
----ONTO THE QUESTION-----------------------
Let R = the numbers of hours for printing press R to complete the ENTIRE task on its own.
Let S = the numbers of hours for printing press S to complete the ENTIRE task on its own.
Let T = the numbers of hours for printing press T to complete the ENTIRE task on its own.
So, from rule #1, 1/R = fraction of the job that R can complete in ONE HOUR
1/S = fraction of the job that S can complete in ONE HOUR
1/T = fraction of the job that T can complete in ONE HOUR
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours
So, from rule #1, the presses (working together) can complete 1/4 of the job in ONE HOUR
In other words: 1/R + 1/S + 1/T = 1/4
S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours.
So, from rule #1, presses S and T (working together) can complete 1/5 of the job in ONE HOUR
In other words: 1/S + 1/T = 1/5
We now have:
1/R + 1/S + 1/T = 1/4
1/S + 1/T = 1/5
Subtract the bottom equation from the top equation to get: 1/R = 1/4 - 1/5
Simplify: 1/R = 1/20
So, R = 20
How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
In other words, what is the value of R?
Answer: E
Cheers,
Brent
- GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
Let the job = 20 pages.swerve wrote:Source: Official Guide
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours. S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 15
E. 20
Since R+S+T take 4 hours to print the 20-page job, the combined rate for R+S+T = 20/4 = 5 pages per hour.
Since S+T take 5 hours to print the 20-page job, the combined rate for S+T = 20/5 = 4 pages per hour.
R's rate = (rate for R+S+T) - (rate for S+T) = 5-4 = 1 page per hour.
Since R's rate = 1 page per hour, R's time to print the 20-page job = 20/1 = 20 hours.
The correct answer is E.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
GMAT/MBA Expert
- Jeff@TargetTestPrep
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 1462
- Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:34 am
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 39 times
- Followed by:22 members
We are given that three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours.swerve wrote:Source: Official Guide
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours. S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 15
E. 20
We can let r, s and t be the times, in hours, for printing presses R, S and T to complete the job alone at their respective constant rates. Thus, the rate of printing press R = 1/r, the rate of printing press S = 1/s, and the rate of printing press T = 1/t. Recall that rate = job/time and, since they are completing one printing job, the value for the job is 1. Since they complete the job together in 4 hours, the sum of their rates is 1/4, that is:
1/r + 1/s + 1/t = 1/4
We are also given that printing presses S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours. Thus:
1/s + 1/t = 1/5
We can substitute 1/5 for 1/s + 1/t is the equation 1/r + 1/s + 1/t = 1/4, and we have:
1/r + 1/5 = 1/4
1/r = 1/4 - 1/5
1/r = 5/20 - 4/20
1/r = 1/20
r = 20
Thus, it takes printing press R 20 hours to complete the job alone.
Answer: E
Jeffrey Miller
Head of GMAT Instruction
[email protected]
See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews
- brushmyquant
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Fri May 27, 2016 8:33 am
- Location: Bangalore
- GMAT Score:700
Three printing presses, R, S, and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do a certain printing job in 4 hours.
Using, Rate * Time = Work Done
Let Rate of R be R, S be S and T be T and Let the work done = 1
If they work together then their combined rate = R + S + T
=> (R + S + T) * 4 = 1
=> R + S + T = 1/4 ...(1)
S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours.
=> (S + T) * 5 = 1
=> S + T = 1/5 ...(2)
How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
(1) - (2) we get
R + S + T - (S + T) = 1/4 - 1/5 = 1/20
=> R = 1/20
R * Time = 1
=> (1/20) * Time = 1
=> Time = 20 hours
So, Answer will be E
Hope it helps!
Watch the following video to learn How to Solve Work Rate Problems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxzi_x3ZwY
Using, Rate * Time = Work Done
Let Rate of R be R, S be S and T be T and Let the work done = 1
If they work together then their combined rate = R + S + T
=> (R + S + T) * 4 = 1
=> R + S + T = 1/4 ...(1)
S and T, working together at their respective constant rates, can do the same job in 5 hours.
=> (S + T) * 5 = 1
=> S + T = 1/5 ...(2)
How many hours would it take R, working alone at its constant rate, to do the same job?
(1) - (2) we get
R + S + T - (S + T) = 1/4 - 1/5 = 1/20
=> R = 1/20
R * Time = 1
=> (1/20) * Time = 1
=> Time = 20 hours
So, Answer will be E
Hope it helps!
Watch the following video to learn How to Solve Work Rate Problems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxzi_x3ZwY
Ankit
How to Solve:
Inequality Problems || Statistics || Functions & Custom Characters || Remainders
How to Solve:
Inequality Problems || Statistics || Functions & Custom Characters || Remainders