document.write( "Question 997068: Jerry can lay a tile floor in 3 hours less time than Jake. If they can work together, the floor takes 2 hours. How long would it take Jerry to lay the floor by himself? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #615320 by Theo(13342)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! rate * time = quantity of work.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "quantity of work = 1 job\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "jerry can lay a tile floor in 3 hours less time than jake.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "let x = the amount of time that jake takes. \n" ); document.write( "then x - 3 = the amount of time that jerry takes.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "since rate * time = quantity, then:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for jake, rate * time = quantity becomes rate * x = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for jerry, rate * time = quantity becomes rate * (x-3) = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "solve for rate in each of these equations and you get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for jake, rate = 1/x\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for jerry, rate = 1/(x-3)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "when they work together, they can do the job in 2 hours.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "their rates are additive when they work together.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "time is equal to 2 hours. \n" ); document.write( "quanity is still equal to 1 job.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "rate * time = quantity becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1/x + 1/(x-3) * 2 = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you want to solve for x.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "remove the parentheses to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2/x + 2/(x-3) = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "multiply both sides of the equation by x * (x-3) to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(2 * x * (x-3) / x + (2 * x * (x-3)) / (x-3) = 1 * x * (x-3)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "simplify to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2 * (x-3) + 2 * x = x * (x-3)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "remove parentheses to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2 * x - 6 + 2 * x = x^2 - 3 * x\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "combine like terms to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "4 * x - 6 = x^2 - 3 * x\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "subtract 4 * x from both sides of the equation and add 6 to both sides of the equation to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "0 = x^2 - 7 * x + 6\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "solve for the factors of this quadratic equation to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(x - 6) * (x - 1) = 0\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "solve for x to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x = 6 or x = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x can't be equal to 1 because then x - 3 would be negative and negative values of time or rate are not allowed.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x has to be equal to 6 or not at all.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "to confirm that x = 6 is good, go back to the original equation where they were both working together to get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1/x + 1/(x-3) * 2 = 1 becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1/6 + 1/(6-3)) * 2 = 1 which becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1/6 + 1/3) * 2 = 1 which becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(1/6 + 2/6) * 2 = 1 which becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "3/6 * 2 = 1 which is equal to 1/2 * 2 = 1 which is equal to 1 = 1.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "this confirms the value of x is good.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you are asked how long it would take jerry working alone.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "rate * time = quantity\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "quantity = 1 \n" ); document.write( "rate = 1/(6-3) = 1/3\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "your equation becomes:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1/3 * time = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "solve for time to get time = 3 hours.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "it would take jerry 3 hours to do the job working alone.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |