SOLUTION: Working by herself, Mary requires 16 minutes more than Antoine to solve a mathematics problem. Working together, Mary and Antoine can solve a problem in 6 minutes. If this situatio

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Working by herself, Mary requires 16 minutes more than Antoine to solve a mathematics problem. Working together, Mary and Antoine can solve a problem in 6 minutes. If this situatio      Log On


   



Question 286967: Working by herself, Mary requires 16 minutes more than Antoine to solve a mathematics problem. Working together, Mary and Antoine can solve a problem in 6 minutes. If this situation is represented by the equation (6/t)+(6/t+16)=1
, where t represents the number of minutes Antoine works alone to solve the problem, how many minutes will it take Antoine to solve the problem if he works by himself?

........................... ................................................... 6 6
Another look at the equation: ___ + _____=1
............................ ..................... t t+16
thanks for your time.

Answer by scott8148(6628) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(6 / t) + [6 / (t + 16)] = 1

multiplying by t(t + 16) ___ 6t + 96 + 6t = t^2 + 16t

0 = t^2 + 4t - 96

0 = (t + 12) (t - 8)

0 = t + 12 ___ t = -12 is not realistic

0 = t - 8 ___ t = 8