SOLUTION: Can you please help me solve this question? One computer printer can print a company's mailing labels in 40 minutes. A second printer would take 60 minutes to print the labels.

Question 346693: Can you please help me solve this question? One computer printer can print a company's mailing labels in 40 minutes. A second printer would take 60 minutes to print the labels. How long would it take the two printers, operating together, to print the labels? Thank you.
Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x= time it takes both computers working together
Then both computers print at the rate of 1/x mailing labels per min
First computer prints at the rate of 1/40 mailing labels per min
Second computer prints at the rate of 1/60 mailing labels per min
So:
1/40 + 1/60 = 1/x multiply each term by 120x
3x+2x=120
5x=120
x=24 min---------time required when both computers work together
CK
In 24 min first computer completes (1/40)*24=24/40 of the mailing labels
In 24 min second computer completes (1/60)*24=24/60 of the mailing labels
So 24/60 +24/40 should equal 1 (job that is)
24/60=48/120
24/40=72/120
48/120 + 72/120 = 120/120=1 job
Hope this helps--ptaylor
RELATED QUESTIONS
Can you please help me find the answer to: One computer can print a company's mailing... (answered by Alan3354)

5. How much pure antifreeze must be added to 12 gallons of 20% antifreeze to make a 40%... (answered by ewatrrr)

one printer can print the paychecks for employees of a company in 54 minutes. a second... (answered by LinnW)

A computer printer can print 10 pages per minute. Write an expression for the number of... (answered by josmiceli)

a paper needs to be printed. one printer can print the paper in 50 minutes and another... (answered by TimothyLamb,MathTherapy)

A computer printer can print a 600-word document in 25 seconds. At this rate, how many... (answered by macston)

One printer can print the paychecks for the employees of a company in 54 min. A second... (answered by bucky)

One printer can print the paychecks for the employees of a company in 5 min. A second... (answered by checkley71)

One printer can print the paychecks for the employees of a company in 60 min. A second... (answered by josgarithmetic)