document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=34721>Question 34721</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618503080/algebrahomeworkh>Intermediate Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> An experienced bricklayer can work twice as fast as an apprentice bricklayer.  After they work together for 6 hours, the experienced bricklayer quits.  The apprentice requires 10 more hours to finish the job.  How long would it take the experienced bricklayer working alone to do the job?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I have been working on this for two days, and I have set it up 100 different ways and I STILL can't get the correct answer which is: Working alone the experienced bricklayer could do the job in 14 hours.  Please help if you can....Thank you so very much!!! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #20976 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><B>longjonsilver(2297)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=longjonsilver><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=longjonsilver><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=20976\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let a = number of bricks per hour laid by the apprentice.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, 2a is the number of bricks laid by the experienced bicklayer.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Working together for 6 hours, they lay (2a+a) bricks in an hour, so after 6 hours... 6(2a+a) --> 6(3a) --> 18a.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Then the apprentice is left to finish the work, taking 10 hours --> 10a bricks in total.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "So, the job laid 18a + 10a bricks --> 28a.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now, the question says how many hours would it take the experienced bricklayer to lay this many bricks?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "well, his rate is 2a and the number of hours is the unknown...call it x --> 2ax. And this has to equal the total from the first way: 28a. So,\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "2ax = 28a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x = 28<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 14\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "jon.<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );