SOLUTION: two taps take 8 hours to fill a tank. one tap takes 12 hours to do the same work. How long will the other tap take to fill the same tank?

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: two taps take 8 hours to fill a tank. one tap takes 12 hours to do the same work. How long will the other tap take to fill the same tank?       Log On


   

Question 730604: two taps take 8 hours to fill a tank. one tap takes 12 hours to do the same work. How long will the other tap take to fill the same tank?
Found 2 solutions by lynnlo, ikleyn:
Answer by lynnlo(4176) About Me  (Show Source):
Answer by ikleyn(53427) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Two taps take 8 hours to fill a tank. one tap takes 12 hours to do the same work.
How long will the other tap take to fill the same tank?
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The combined rate of work of the two taps is  1/12  of the tank volume per hour.


The individual rate of work of one tap is 1/12.


Hence, the individual rate of work of the other tap is the difference


    1%2F8 - 1%2F12 = use the common denominator 24 = 3%2F24 - 2%2F24 = 1%2F24  of the tank volume per hour.


It means that the other tap will take 24 hours to fill the tank working alone.

Solved.

This analysis using the rate of work is a simple and powerful method solving problems on joint work.


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The answer in the post by @lynnlo is incorrect.
Simply ignore his post.