document.write( "Question 313753: A building contractor employs a master mason, a journeyman mason and an apprentice mason.
\n" ); document.write( "The master mason and the journeyman working together can finish a brick wall in 10 hours. It
\n" ); document.write( "takes the master and apprentice 12 hours to do the same job, while the journeyman and apprentice
\n" ); document.write( "require 15 hours to complete the task.
\n" ); document.write( "If all three work together, how long does it take to build the wall?
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #224421 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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A building contractor employs a master mason, a journeyman mason and an apprentice mason.
\n" ); document.write( "The master mason and the journeyman working together can finish a brick wall in 10 hours.
\n" ); document.write( "It takes the master and apprentice 12 hours to do the same job,
\n" ); document.write( " while the journeyman and apprentice require 15 hours to complete the task.
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Find how many hrs each require working alone
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let the individual times of the three masons be: m, j, a
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Let the completed job = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Write an equation for each statement:
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"The master mason and the journeyman working together can finish a brick wall in 10 hours\"
\n" ); document.write( "Eq1:\"10%2Fm\" + \"10%2Fj\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"It takes the master and apprentice 12 hours to do the same job,\"
\n" ); document.write( "Eq2:\"12%2Fm\" + \"12%2Fa\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"the journeyman and apprentice require 15 hours to complete the task.\"
\n" ); document.write( "Eq3:\"15%2Fj\" + \"15%2Fa\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply Eq1 by 6 and Eq2 by 5:
\n" ); document.write( "\"60%2Fm\" + \"60%2Fj\" = 6
\n" ); document.write( "\"60%2Fm\" + \"60%2Fa\" = 5
\n" ); document.write( "-------------------------------Subtraction eliminates m, so we have
\n" ); document.write( "\"60%2Fj\" - \"60%2Fa\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply eq3 by 4 and add to the above equation
\n" ); document.write( "\"60%2Fj\" - \"60%2Fa\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( "\"60%2Fj\" + \"60%2Fa\" = 4
\n" ); document.write( "----------------------------- adding eliminates a, find j
\n" ); document.write( "\"120%2Fj\" = 5
\n" ); document.write( "5j = 120
\n" ); document.write( "j = \"120%2F5\"
\n" ); document.write( "j = 24 hrs to do the job alone
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Substitute 24 for j in eq1, find m
\n" ); document.write( "\"10%2Fm\" + \"10%2F24\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply by 24m
\n" ); document.write( "10(24) + 10m = 24m
\n" ); document.write( "240 = 24m - 10m
\n" ); document.write( "m = \"240%2F14\"
\n" ); document.write( "m = 17.14 hrs to do the job alone
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Using eq3, find a
\n" ); document.write( "\"15%2F24\" + \"15%2Fa\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply by 24a
\n" ); document.write( "15a + 15(24) = 24a
\n" ); document.write( "360 = 24a - 15a
\n" ); document.write( "a = \"360%2F9\"
\n" ); document.write( "a = 40 hrs to do the job alone
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Summarize: a = 40; j = 24; m = 17.14 hrs
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"If all three work together, how long does it take to build the wall?\"
\n" ); document.write( "Let t = time required when all three work together
\n" ); document.write( "\"t%2F17.14\" + \"t%2F24\" + \"t%2F40\" = 1
\n" ); document.write( "multiply equation by 17.14*24*40 = 16454.4, results:
\n" ); document.write( "960t + 685.6t + 411.36t = 16454.4
\n" ); document.write( "2056.96t = 16454.4
\n" ); document.write( "t = \"16454.4%2F2056.96\"
\n" ); document.write( "t ~ 8 hrs all three working
\n" ); document.write( ";
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Check solution using a calc:
\n" ); document.write( "8/17.14 + 8/24 + 8/40 =
\n" ); document.write( ".467 + .333 + .2 = 1
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