SOLUTION: A roofer and his assistant working together can finish a roofing job in 4 hours. The roofer working alone could finish the job in 6 hours less than the assistant working alone. How

Question 351037: A roofer and his assistant working together can finish a roofing job in 4 hours. The roofer working alone could finish the job in 6 hours less than the assistant working alone. How long would it take the assistant working alone?
Answer by edjones(8007) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=roofer's time and x+6 the assistants time to do the job.
In an hr roofer can do 1/x of the job and the asst. 1/(x+6) of the job.
1/x + 1/x+6 = 1/4
4(x+6)+4x=x(x+6) multiply each side by 4x(x+6)
4x+24+4x=x^2+6x
x^2-2x-24=0
(x-6)(x+4)=0
x=6 hrs
x+6=12 hrs the assistant working alone.
.
Ed
RELATED QUESTIONS
A roofer and his assistant working together can finish a roofing job in 4 hours. The... (answered by nerdybill)

A roofer and an assistant can repair a roof together in 7 hours. Working alone, the... (answered by mananth)

A roofer and an assistant can repair a roof together in 8 hours. Working alone, the... (answered by lwsshak3)

A roofer and assistant can repair a roof working together in 6 hours. Working alone the... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A roofer and an assistant can repair a roof together in 4 hours. Working alone, the... (answered by lwsshak3)

A roofer and an assistant can repair a roof together in 3 hours. Working alone, the... (answered by richwmiller,josgarithmetic)

A roofer and an assistant can repair a roof tegether in 6 hours. The assistant can... (answered by josgarithmetic,MathTherapy)

A roofer requires 12 hours to shingle a roof, working alone. After the roofer and his... (answered by josgarithmetic)

Construction A roofer requires 12 hours to shingle a roof. After the roofer and an... (answered by scott8148)