SOLUTION: Working alone, a painter can paint a living room in 6 hours. A second painter can do the job in 9 hours. How long will it take them to paint the room if they work together? Sta

Question 1027602: Working alone, a painter can paint a living room in 6 hours. A second painter can do the job in 9 hours. How long will it take them to paint the room if they work together? State what x represents, state the equation, and then state the answer.
Answer by ikleyn(52776) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Working alone, a painter can paint a living room in 6 hours. A second painter can do the job in 9 hours. How long will it take them to paint the room if they work together? State what x represents, state the equation, and then state the answer.
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Since the first painter can paint a living room in 6 hours, he paints  of the living room area in one hour. It is his rate.

The other painter paints  of the living room area in one hour.

When the two painters work together, they paint  =  =  of the room area per hour.

Hence, they need  =  hour = 3 hours and 36 minutes to complete the job, if they work together.


It is typical problem on joint work.

For a variety of similar solved jpint-work problems see the lesson Using fractions to solve word problems on joint work in this site, 
and also associated lessons.

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