SOLUTION: A labourer built 24 m of stone wall. If she had built 2 m less each day, it would have taken her 2 days longer. How many metres did she build each day, working at her usual rate?

Question 1105138: A labourer built 24 m of stone wall. If she had built 2 m less each day, it would have taken her 2 days longer. How many metres did she build each day, working at her usual rate?
Answer by Boreal(15235) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
She built x m a day.
In 24/x days, she built 24 m.
(x-2) m per day, this would take 24/(x-2) days to complete, and 24/(x-2) )minus 2=(24/x)
Multiply both sides by x(x-2) to clear fractions
24x-2x^2+4x=24x-48
24 x cancel
0=2x^2-4xx-48=x^2-2x-24
0=(x-6)(x+2)
x=6 meters a day, positive root only. ANSWER.
It took 4 days to build 24 m. and at 4 meters a day, 2 meters less per day, it would take 6 days, 2 days longer.

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