SOLUTION: Trent can deliver his newspapers in 30 minutes. It takes Lois 20 minutes to do the same route. How long would it take them to deliver the newspapers if they work together?

Question 248606: Trent can deliver his newspapers in 30 minutes. It takes Lois 20 minutes to do the same route. How long would it take them to deliver the newspapers if they work together?
Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=amount of time it takes both working together to do the route
Then both working together does 1/x of the route per min
Trent does 1/30 of his route per min
Lois does 1/20 of the route per min
so, our equation to solve is
1/30 + 1/20=1/x multiply each term by 60x
2x+3x=60
5x=60
x=12 min---------------------time it take both working together
CK
In 12 min, Trent does (1/30)*12=12/30=2/5 of the route
In 12 min, Lois does (1/20)*12=12/20=3/5 of the route
2/5 + 3/5=5/5 or the whole route
Hope this helps---ptaylor
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