SOLUTION: In order to create tunnels, civil engineers devise plans where tunnel-boring machines begin drilling at both ends of the tunnel and meet somewhere in between. A tunnel is being bui

Algebra.Com
Question 1138739: In order to create tunnels, civil engineers devise plans where tunnel-boring machines begin drilling at both ends of the tunnel and meet somewhere in between. A tunnel is being built through a section of mountain. One tunnel-boring machine alone can finish the tunnel in 4 years. Another machine can finish the job in 3 years. If both machines start at opposite ends and work at the same time, when will the tunnel be finished?
Answer by ikleyn(52781)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
First machine makes    of the job per year.


Second machine makes   of the job per year.


Working together, they make   =  =  of the job per year.


It means that they need   =  years to complete the job working together.    ANSWER

Just solved.

-------------------

It is a standard and typical joint work problem.

There is a wide variety of similar solved joint-work problems with detailed explanations in this site.  See the lessons
    - Using Fractions to solve word problems on joint work
    - Solving more complicated word problems on joint work
    - Selected joint-work word problems from the archive


Read them and get be trained in solving joint-work problems.

Also,  you have this free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-I in this site
    - ALGEBRA-I - YOUR ONLINE TEXTBOOK.

The referred lessons are the part of this textbook under the topic
"Rate of work and joint work problems"  of the section  "Word problems".


Save the link to this online textbook together with its description

Free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-I
https://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/quadratic/lessons/ALGEBRA-I-YOUR-ONLINE-TEXTBOOK.lesson

to your archive and use it when it is needed.


RELATED QUESTIONS

most tunnels are drilled using tunnel-boring machines that begin at both ends of the... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
There are 3 tunnels each 50 kilometers long, and each tunnel has a boring machine at each (answered by Alan3354)
The cadet engineers of a service company consists of 60% electrical engineers and 40%... (answered by Boreal)
A company has 11 software engineers and 7 civil engineers. In how many ways can they be... (answered by ikleyn)
To obtain maximum strength engineers often design tunnels as parabolic arches. In such a (answered by stanbon,josgarithmetic)
The city wants to dig a tunnel under the New York canal to create another underground... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com,Alan3354)
At a certain college, 55% of the students are female, and 21% of the students major in... (answered by Edwin McCravy)
A company has 10 software engineers and 6 civil engineers. In how many ways can they be... (answered by Edwin McCravy)
An oil company bores a hole 80ksh deep estimate the cost of boring the hole if the cost... (answered by Boreal,greenestamps)