document.write( "Question 167380: A and B can do a piece of work in 42 days, B and C in 31 days, and A and C in 20 days. Working together, how many days can all of them finish the work? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #123283 by ptaylor(2198)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! A&B work at the rate of 1/42 job per day \n" ); document.write( "B&C work at the rate of 1/31 job per day \n" ); document.write( "A&C work at the rate of 1/20 job per day \n" ); document.write( "Let t=time it takes all workers, working together, to do the job \n" ); document.write( "Let 1/A=rate at which A works \n" ); document.write( "1/B=rate that B works \n" ); document.write( "1/C=rate that C works\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now we know that: \n" ); document.write( "1/A + 1/B=1/42-------------------eq1 \n" ); document.write( "1/B + 1/C=1/31---------------------eq2 \n" ); document.write( "1/A + 1/C=1/20---------------------eq3\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "subtract eq3 from eq1: \n" ); document.write( "1/B - 1/C=1/42 - 1/20------------------eq3a \n" ); document.write( "add eq3a and eq2: \n" ); document.write( "2/B=1/42 - 1/20 + 1/31 (13020 is LCM) \n" ); document.write( "2/B=(310-651+420)/13020=79/13020 \n" ); document.write( "1/B=79/26040 job per day-------------------------rate at which B works\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "substitute the value for 1/B into eq1: \n" ); document.write( "1/A + 79/26040=1/42 \n" ); document.write( "1/A=1/42 - 79/26040=(620-79)/26040=541/26040 job per day----rate at which A works \n" ); document.write( "substitute the value for 1/A into eq3: \n" ); document.write( "541/26040 + 1/C=1/20 \n" ); document.write( "1/C = 1/20 - 541/26040=(1302-541)/26040=761/26040 job per day----rate at which C works\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Together, A, B, & C work at the the rate of: \n" ); document.write( "541/26040 +79/26040 + 761/26040= 1381/26040 job per day \n" ); document.write( "Now, our final equation to solve is: \n" ); document.write( "(1381/26040)t=1 (1 job that is) multiply each side by 26040 \n" ); document.write( "(rate at which they work * time it take to complete the job=1 job)\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1381t=26040 divide by 1381 \n" ); document.write( "t= 18.86 days----------------time it takes all the workers working together\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "CK \n" ); document.write( "A: (541/26040)*18.86=0.3917 of the job \n" ); document.write( "B: (79/26040)*18.86=0.0572 of the job \n" ); document.write( "C: (761/26040)*18.86=0.5512 of the job \n" ); document.write( "0.3917 + 0.0572 + 0.5512=1.000069 \n" ); document.write( "1~~~1\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps---sorry about the first effort----ptaylor \n" ); document.write( " |