SOLUTION: sally can paint a room in 8 hours while it takes Steve 9 hours to paint the same room. How long would it take the to paint th eroom if they worked together?

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: sally can paint a room in 8 hours while it takes Steve 9 hours to paint the same room. How long would it take the to paint th eroom if they worked together?      Log On


   

Question 500835: sally can paint a room in 8 hours while it takes Steve 9 hours to paint the same room. How long would it take the to paint th eroom if they worked together?
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Add their rates of working
given:
sally's rate:
+1%2F8+ = 1 room in 8 hours
Steve's rate:
+1%2F9+ = 1 room in 9 hours
------------------------
+1%2F8+%2B+1%2F9+=+1%2Fx+
+9%2F72+%2B+8%2F72+=+1%2Fx+
+9x+%2B+8x+=+72+
+17x+=+72+
+x+=+4.235+
+.235%2A60+=+14.118+
+.118%2A60++=+7+
4 hours 14 min 7 sec