document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=217413>Question 217413</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Melanie can paint a certain barn by herself in x days. Her helper Melisa 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<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #163949 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alan3354><B>Alan3354(69443)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alan3354><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=Alan3354><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=163949\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\">  Melanie can paint a certain barn by herself in x days. Her helper Melisa 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<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Melanie paints 1/x of the barn per day.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Melisa paints 1/2x per day.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Together, they do 1/x + 1/2x per day<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/x + 1/2x = 3/2x per day.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "At x=5:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "--> 3/10 per day.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The long way for x - 5:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/5 + 1/10 = 3/10 --> 10/3 days to paint the barn together<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "A shortcut for x = 5: product/sum<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5*10/(5+10) = 50/15<BR>\n" );
document.write( "= 10/3 days </SPAN>\n" );
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