document.write( "Question 765495: A new letter sorting machine works twice as fast as the old one. Both sorters working together complete a job in eight hours. How long would it have taken the new letter sorter to do the job alone? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #466198 by stanbon(75887) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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A new letter sorting machine works twice as fast as the old one. Both sorters working together complete a job in eight hours. How long would it have taken the new letter sorter to do the job alone?
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\n" ); document.write( "slower machine rate: 1/(2x) job/hr
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\n" ); document.write( "faster machine rate: 1/x job/hr
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\n" ); document.write( "together rate = 1/8 job/hr
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\n" ); document.write( "Equation:
\n" ); document.write( "rate + rate = together rate
\n" ); document.write( "1/(2x) + 1/x = 1/8
\n" ); document.write( "-------
\n" ); document.write( "4 + 8 = x
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\n" ); document.write( "x = 12 hrs (time for the faster machine to do the job alone)
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\n" ); document.write( "2x = 24 hrs (time for the slower machine to do the job alone)
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\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H.
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