SOLUTION: I am very confused, I have absolutely no idea how to solve this word problem. Please help me solve the problem: If Sally can paint a house in four hours, John can paint the same ho

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Question 321163: I am very confused, I have absolutely no idea how to solve this word problem. Please help me solve the problem: If Sally can paint a house in four hours, John can paint the same house in six hours. How long will it take them to paint it together?
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, mananth:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Sally does 1/4 house/hr
John does 1/6 house/hr
Together, they do 1/4 + 1/6 house/hour = 5/12 house/hr
--> 12/5 hours/house
= 2.4 hours

Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Painting the house is considered as 1 job
Sally can paint a house in four hours,
so sally can do 1/4 of the job in 1 hour
John can paint the same house in six hours.
John can do 1/6 job in 1 hour
.
They together can do 1/4 + 1/6 of the job in 1 hour.
1/4 + 1/6 = 3+2 / 12
= 5/12 of the job in 1 hour
so to do 1 job they take 12/5 hours
= 2.4 hours
They together can paint the house in 2.4 hours