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Question 148363:  An experienced carpenter can panel a room 3 times faster than an apprentice can.  Working together, they can panel the room in 6 hours.  How long would it take each person working alone to do the job? 
 Answer by ptaylor(2198)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website!  
Let x=the rate at which the apprentice can panel the room  
Then 3x=rate at which the carpenter can panel the room 
Together the two can panel the room at the rate of x+3x or 4x rooms per hour. 
So, our equation to solve is: 
4x rooms per hour times 6 hours equals one room or: 
4x*6=1 
24x=1 
x=1/24 rooms per hour -----rate of the apprentice 
So, in 24 hours, the apprentice can panel the room 
3x=3/24 rooms per hour=1/8 rooms per hour-----rate of the carpenter 
So in 8 hours the carpenter can panel the room 
together they panel at the rate of 1/24 + 3/24 or 4/24=1/6 rooms per hour which means that in 6 hours they can panel one room
 
Hope this helps-----ptaylor 
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