SOLUTION: paula can do a plumbing job in 3 hours if maria and paula can complete a job in 2 hours how long would it take maria, working alone,to complete the job?

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: paula can do a plumbing job in 3 hours if maria and paula can complete a job in 2 hours how long would it take maria, working alone,to complete the job?      Log On


   

Question 756295: paula can do a plumbing job in 3 hours if maria and paula can complete a job in 2 hours how long would it take maria, working alone,to complete the job?
Found 2 solutions by Cromlix, ptaylor:
Answer by Cromlix(4381) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Maria can do job in 2 hours
Paula can do the job in 3 hours
Maria's rate 1/3rd of a job in an hour
Paula's rate 1/2 of a job in an hour
Therefore 1/3 + 1/2 = 1/x
Taking the common denominator of 6x
2x + 3x = 6
5x = 6
x = 6/5 = 1 1/5 hours
or 1 hour 12 mins (1/5 of 60)
Hope this helps
:-)

Answer by ptaylor(2198) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x=amount of time it takes Maria working alone to complete the job
Then maria works at the rate of 1/x of the job per hour
Paula works at the rate of 1/3 of the job per hour
Maria and Paula together work at the rate of 1/2 of the job per hour
Sooooo, our equation to solve is:
1/x+1/3=1/2 multiply each term by 6x
6+2x=3x subtract 2x from each side
x=6 hours----time it takes Maria working alone to complete the job
CK
In 2 hours, Paula completes 2/3 of the job, leaving 1/3 to be done
In 2 hours, Maria completes 2/6=1/3 of the job
1/3+2/3=The Job
Hope this helps---ptaylor