document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1174933>Question 1174933</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Pleases help me to solve this equation: <BR>\n" );
document.write( "If two people working together can do a job in three hours how long will it take the slower person to do the same job if one of them is 3 times as fast as the other </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #800432 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13198)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><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=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=800432\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "First a formal algebraic solution....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = # of hours the faster person takes to do the job<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3x = # of hours the slower person takes<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/x = fraction of the job the faster person does in 1 hour<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/3x = fraction of the job the slower person does in 1 hour<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/3 = fraction of the job they do together in 1 hour<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%2Fx+%2B+1%2F%283x%29+=+1%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%2Fx+%2B+1%2F%283x%29+=+1%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply by the LCD 3x to clear fractions<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2B1+=+x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2B1+=+x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The faster person takes x=4 hours to do the job alone, so the slower person takes 3x=12 hours.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "------------------------------------------<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Informally, using logical reasoning....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since the faster person works 3 times as fast as the slower person, when working together the faster person does 3/4 of the job and the slower person does 1/4.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Working together, it takes the two of them 3 hours to do the job.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So in 3 hours the slower worker does 1/4 of the job; that means it would take him 4*3=12 hours to do the job alone.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );