SOLUTION: it took 15 men 12 days to pick up two tons of oranges. how long will it take nine men if they work at the same rate?

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Question 1012649: it took 15 men 12 days to pick up two tons of oranges. how long will it take nine men if they work at the same rate?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
How long for 9 men to DO WHAT?
THE ONE JOB, which is to pick the two tones of oranges.
RT=J, relates rate, time, amount of jobs.
Here, we are focused on men and time for 1 job.

Assume each man works at the rate r and n number of men work at rate combined, nr.

Let t be the unknown time for the 9 men to do the same one job:
system%2815r%2A12=1%2C9r%2At=1%29

Both equations are the quantity of the 1 job and are therefore equal.
15r%2A12=9r%2At
Notice factor r is on both members of this equation.
15%2A12=9%2At
%2815%2A12%29%2F%283%2A3%29=t
highlight%28t=20%29--------twenty days