SOLUTION: Hi, I need help on my word problem homework. Would someone kindly help me please.Please show me the steps on how to solve the problem as well. Thank you. Working together, two p

Algebra ->  Expressions-with-variables -> SOLUTION: Hi, I need help on my word problem homework. Would someone kindly help me please.Please show me the steps on how to solve the problem as well. Thank you. Working together, two p      Log On


   



Question 919252: Hi, I need help on my word problem homework. Would someone kindly help me please.Please show me the steps on how to solve the problem as well. Thank you.
Working together, two people can cut a lawn in 4 hours. One person can do the job alone in 1 hour less than the other. How long would it take the faster person to do the job?
MY TEACHER SAID THE ANSWER IS 7.5 HOURS.
Would you please show me how he got the answer. Than you.

Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Uniform Rates for Job or Task,
RT=J, rate time job.



RATES:
Let x be the time for the slower person alone to do 1 job.
Fast Person, 1%2F%28x-1%29
Slow Person, 1%2Fx
Combined Fast and Slow Persons, 1%2F%28x-1%29%2B1%2Fx=1%2F4

When you reach that far, you just need to solve for x, because you have the combined rate equation; the combined rate value is given in the problem description, so the sum of the rates of the two people are their combined rate working together.

Note, the question essentially asks for x-1; which you find after first solving for x.