SOLUTION: WORD PROBLEM: Two chemical plants are polluting a river. If plant A produces a predetermined maximum amount of pollutant twice as fast as B, and together they produce the maximu

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Question 54842: WORD PROBLEM:
Two chemical plants are polluting a river. If plant A produces a predetermined maximum amount of pollutant twice as fast as B, and together they produce the maximum pollutant in 26 hours, how long will it take Plant B alone?
PLEASE HELP!!

Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two chemical plants are polluting a river. If plant A produces a predetermined maximum amount of pollutant twice as fast as B, and together they produce the maximum pollutant in 26 hours, how long will it take Plant B alone?
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Plant B DATA:
Let time be x hrs/job ; rate = 1/x job/hr.
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Plant A DATA:
time is 2x hr./job ; rate = 1/2x job/hr
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Together DATA:
time is 26 hr/job ; rate = 1/26 job/hr.
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EQUATION:
B rate + A rate = together rate
1/x + 1/2x = 1/26
Multiply thru by 26x to get:
26 +13=x
x=39 hrs (Time for B alone)
Cheers,
Stan H.