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)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! 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: \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "\"It takes the master and apprentice 12 hours to do the same job,\" \n" ); document.write( "Eq2: \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "\"the journeyman and apprentice require 15 hours to complete the task.\" \n" ); document.write( "Eq3: \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Multiply Eq1 by 6 and Eq2 by 5: \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "-------------------------------Subtraction eliminates m, so we have \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Multiply eq3 by 4 and add to the above equation \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "----------------------------- adding eliminates a, find j \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "5j = 120 \n" ); document.write( "j = \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( " \n" ); document.write( "Multiply by 24m \n" ); document.write( "10(24) + 10m = 24m \n" ); document.write( "240 = 24m - 10m \n" ); document.write( "m = \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( " \n" ); document.write( "Multiply by 24a \n" ); document.write( "15a + 15(24) = 24a \n" ); document.write( "360 = 24a - 15a \n" ); document.write( "a = \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( " \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 = \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 \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |