document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=4603>Question 4603</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I can't figure out the . I need help, please!<BR>\n" );
document.write( "It takes Pat 12 hours to complete a task. After he had been working for 3 hours, his brother Mike joined him, and together they finished the job in 5 hours. How long would it take Mike to do the job by himself? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #2412 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Abbey><B>Abbey(339)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Abbey><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=2412\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> To find a rate of work, break the problem down into something that can be compared relatively easily.  In this case, look at how much work Pat gets done each hour.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Pat = completes <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2F12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2F12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > of the work every hour<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Mike's rate of work is not known so we can say<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Mike= completes <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2Fx ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2Fx\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > of the work every hour.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Together they work at a rate of 1/5 of the work completed each hour, so:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2F12+%2B+1%2Fx+=+1%2F5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2F12+%2B+1%2Fx+=+1%2F5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Find a common denominator:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=5x%2F60x%2B60%2F60x=12x%2F60x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"5x%2F60x%2B60%2F60x=12x%2F60x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now we can drop the denominator:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5x+60=12x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "subtract 5x from both sides:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "60=7x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "divide both sides by 7:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "60/7=x or x=8.57\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "so Mike's rate of work is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2F8.57 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2F8.57\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, so he could finish the job in 8.57 hours by himself. </SPAN>\n" );
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