SOLUTION: Please help with this rate problem!!! I'm stumped Two chemical plants are releasing toxic waste into the atmosphere. Plant I releases a certain amount twice as fast as Plant II.

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Question 31780This question is from textbook
: Please help with this rate problem!!! I'm stumped
Two chemical plants are releasing toxic waste into the atmosphere. Plant I releases a certain amount twice as fast as Plant II. Together they release that amount in 3 hr. How long does it take the slower plant to release that same amount?This question is from textbook

Answer by stanbon(48558) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let the unknown amount of pollution be "x".
Then Plant II puts out the pollution at 1/x amount per hour.
And Plant I puts out the pollution at 2/x amount per hour.
Together they put out the pollution at 1/x+2/x = 3/x amt. per hour
Working together for 3 hours they put out (3/x)(3)=9/x amount
The slower Plant (Pl II) would require 9 hrs. to put out 9/x amount.
Cheers,
Stan H.