SOLUTION: Together, Larry and Mo require 4hrs 48min to pave a driveway. Alone, Larry would require 4hrs more than Mo. How long would it take Mo to do the job alone? Hint: convert minutes to

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Together, Larry and Mo require 4hrs 48min to pave a driveway. Alone, Larry would require 4hrs more than Mo. How long would it take Mo to do the job alone? Hint: convert minutes to       Log On


   

Question 415329: Together, Larry and Mo require 4hrs 48min to pave a driveway. Alone, Larry would require 4hrs more than Mo. How long would it take Mo to do the job alone? Hint: convert minutes to hours.
This is what I have so far:
Larry's time is x+4 and Mo's time is x so the time that it would take them to pave the driveway together would be expressed by:
+1%2F%28x%29%2B1%2F%28x%2B4%29=1%2F4.8+ then multiply each side by the opposite demominator, making the problem:
+%28%28x%2B4%29%2Bx%29%2F%28x%28x%2B4%29%29=1%2F4.8+ Then multiply each denominator by the opposite numerator, making the problem:
+4.8%282x%2B4%29=x%5E2%2B4x+
I have been struggling with this problem for over an hour.
Thank you so much for your help.
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


You have done everything correctly so far.



Distribute the 4.8:



Standard form:



You could use the quadratic formula from here, but it is probably easier to realize that the ugly thing actually factors. Hint: and

Discard the negative root since it is unlikely that either of the stars of this show can go back in time and get the job done before they started.

By the way, had you followed instructions and converted everything to minutes, you would have ended up with:







Which, as you might expect, also factors:





John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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