SOLUTION: Please help me solve this word problem: Two pipes together can fill a large tank in 10 hr. One of the pipes, used alone, takes 15 hr longer than the other to fill the tank. How

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Misc -> SOLUTION: Please help me solve this word problem: Two pipes together can fill a large tank in 10 hr. One of the pipes, used alone, takes 15 hr longer than the other to fill the tank. How       Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 139408: Please help me solve this word problem:
Two pipes together can fill a large tank in 10 hr. One of the pipes, used alone, takes 15 hr longer than the other to fill the tank. How long would each pipe take to fill the tank alone?
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The time it takes one of the pipes to fill the tank: x hours

The time it takes the other pipe to fill the tank: x + 15 hours

The faster pipe can then fill 1%2Fx of the tank in 1 hour.

The slower pipe can fill 1%2F%28x%2B15%29 of the tank in 1 hour.

Together they can fill the tank in 10 hours, so they can fill 1%2F10 of the tank in 1 hour.

But they also can fill %281%2Fx%29%2B%281%2F%28x%2B15%29%29 of the tank in 1 hour, so:

%281%2Fx%29%2B%281%2F%28x%2B15%29%29=1%2F10

So just solve for x to get the value for the large pipe and add 15 for the value for the smaller pipe.

Hint: Find a common denominator for the left side and then cross multiply.