SOLUTION: It takes an older pump 4 times as long to drain a certain pool as it does a newer pump. Working together it takes the two pumps 4 hours to drain the pool. How long will it take the

Algebra ->  Human-and-algebraic-language -> SOLUTION: It takes an older pump 4 times as long to drain a certain pool as it does a newer pump. Working together it takes the two pumps 4 hours to drain the pool. How long will it take the      Log On


   

Question 1147442: It takes an older pump 4 times as long to drain a certain pool as it does a newer pump. Working together it takes the two pumps 4 hours to drain the pool. How long will it take the older pump to drain the pool working alone?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
new pump time, x
old pump time, 4x
both together 4

1%2F4x%2B1%2Fx=1%2F4
4x%281%2F4x%2B1%2F4%29=4x%281%2F4%29
1%2B4=x
x=5
4x=highlight%2820%29 hours of time for old pump by itself