SOLUTION: jena and matt, working together, can mow the lawn in 4 hours. working alone, matt takes four times as long as jena. how long does it take jena to mow the lawn alone?

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: jena and matt, working together, can mow the lawn in 4 hours. working alone, matt takes four times as long as jena. how long does it take jena to mow the lawn alone?      Log On


   

Question 1149558: jena and matt, working together, can mow the lawn in 4 hours. working alone, matt takes four times as long as jena. how long does it take jena to mow the lawn alone?
Answer by ikleyn(52879) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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The problem says that Jena works as productively as 4 instances of Matt.


Since Jena and Matt can complete the job in 4 hours, working together, it means that (4+1) = 5 instances of Matt 
will complete the job in 4 hours.


Hence, Matt alone can complete the job in  5*4 = 20 hours.


It means that the time for Jena to complete the job alone is only  1%2F4  of 20 hours, i.e.  20%2F4 = 5 hours.


ANSWER.  Working alone, Jena will complete the job in  5 hours.


Solved, completed, answered and explained.

Very nice MENTAL solution.