SOLUTION: An engineer takes 1 hour longer to do a job than the other engineer. Working together they can finalize a job in 5 hours. How long would it take for each of them to do the job alon

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: An engineer takes 1 hour longer to do a job than the other engineer. Working together they can finalize a job in 5 hours. How long would it take for each of them to do the job alon      Log On


   

Question 22466: An engineer takes 1 hour longer to do a job than the other engineer. Working together they can finalize a job in 5 hours. How long would it take for each of them to do the job alone?

Found 2 solutions by Paul, stanbon:
Answer by Paul(988) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
1+x+x=5
2x=4
x=2
2+1=3
hence for One it would take him 2h and for other it would take him 3h.

Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Assume the 1st engineer can do the job in "x" hours.
Then each hour he is doing 1/x of the job.
The 2nd engineer does the job in "x+1" hours.
So each hour he is doing 1/(x+1) of the job.
Equation:
They work together for 5 hours and get the job done so
5[(1/x) +(1/(x+1)] = 1 job
Solve for x and x+1.
Cheers,
Stan H.