document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=184661>Question 184661</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Melanie can paint a certain barn by herself in x days. Her helper, Melissa can paint the same barn by herself in 2x days. Write a rational expression for the fraction of the barn that they complete in one day by working together. Evaluate the expression for x=5.  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #138583 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><B>solver91311(24713)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=solver91311><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=138583\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"+2\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Melanie can paint a certain barn by herself in <i>x</i> days, so she can paint <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large \frac{1}{x}\">th of the barn in 1 day.  Likewise her helper can paint <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\Large \frac{1}{2x}\">th of the barn in 1 day.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Together, they can paint:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  \frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{2x} = \frac{2 + 1}{2x} = \frac{3}{2x}\">th of the barn in 1 day.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So together they take:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 1 \div \frac{3}{2x}=\frac{2x}{3}\"> days to paint the barn.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Just substitute 5 for <i>x</i> to evaluate for 5 days.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In general if A takes <i>x</i> time periods to do a job, and B takes <i>y</i> time periods to do the same job, then working together they can complete the job in:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  \frac{xy}{x + y}\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "time periods.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "John<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0\"><BR>\n" );
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