document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=882913>Question 882913</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Jane needs 3 hours to clean the Smith house. Her younger sister, Alice, can clean the house in 5 hours. How long would the sisters, working together, need to clean the house? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #533169 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Leaf+W.><B>Leaf W.(135)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Leaf+W.><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=Leaf+W.><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=533169\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi!<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If Jane can clean the house in 3 hours, she is able to clean 1/3 of the house in an hour. Likewise, if Alice cleans the house in 5 hours, she can clean 1/5 of the house in an hour. Let us call the number of hours they need to clean the house (working together) x. Then, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F3%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F3%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is the fraction of the house Jane can clean in that amount of time, and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F5%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F5%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is the fraction of the house Alice can clean in that amount of time.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thus, you can create the equation <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%281%2F5%29x+%2B+%281%2F3%29x+=+1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%281%2F5%29x+%2B+%281%2F3%29x+=+1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, since you want the amount of the house Jane cleans plus the amount of the house Alice cleans to equal one (indicating one complete house). Now simply solve for x to find the amount of hours this will take:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F5+%2B+x%2F3+=+1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F5+%2B+x%2F3+=+1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply by the least common denominator, 15: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3x+%2B+5x+=+15 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3x+%2B+5x+=+15\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Add together like terms: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8x+=+15 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8x+=+15\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Divide both sides by 8: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+15%2F8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+15%2F8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thus, the sisters need 15/8 hours to clean the house. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "I hope this helps! =) </SPAN>\n" );
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