document.write( "Question 1085718: Tap A can fill a tank in 15 minutes.
\n" ); document.write( "Tap B can fill a tank in 20 minutes.
\n" ); document.write( "How long will it take to fill the tank when both taps are turned on?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #699786 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
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Table
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TimeRate
Tap A151/15
Tap B201/20
Total7/60

\n" ); document.write( "The table represents the rates and times for both taps. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The time values are in minutes. The rates are in jobs per minute\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A rate like \"1/20\" means tap B can get 1/20th of a job done per minute. Each minute, tap B fills up 1/20 = 0.05 = 5% of the sink. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The combined rate of 7/60 is the result of adding the fractions 1/15 and 1/20 like so
\n" ); document.write( "(1/15) + (1/20) = (4/4)*(1/15) + (3/3)*(1/20)
\n" ); document.write( "(1/15) + (1/20) = 4/60 + 3/60
\n" ); document.write( "(1/15) + (1/20) = (4+3)/60
\n" ); document.write( "(1/15) + (1/20) = 7/60\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This means that if the taps are opened together, then the sink is filled at a rate of 7/60 jobs per minute. Put another way, the two taps work together to fill the sink 7/60 of the way for each minute.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let t be the time it takes for both sinks to get the job done together. In this case,
\n" ); document.write( "(combined rate)*(time) = 1
\n" ); document.write( "where \"1\" represents the fact that 1 job is completed, ie the sink is full 100%\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The combined rate found earlier is 7/60. The time is unknown. Let's solve for t
\n" ); document.write( "(combined rate)*(time) = 1
\n" ); document.write( "(7/60)*(t) = 1
\n" ); document.write( "60*(7/60)*(t) = 60*1
\n" ); document.write( "7*t = 60
\n" ); document.write( "7*t/7 = 60/7
\n" ); document.write( "t = 60/7 <--- Exact answer as a fraction
\n" ); document.write( "t = 8.571429 <--- Approximate answer in decimal form\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "It takes roughly 8.571429 minutes for the two taps to completely fill the sink. This is assuming that one tap doesn't hinder the other in any way.
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