SOLUTION: Isabel can peel five pounds of apples in 12 minutes. John can do the same job in 15 minutes. How long would it take them to peel five pounds of apples if they worked on it together

Algebra ->  Rate-of-work-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Isabel can peel five pounds of apples in 12 minutes. John can do the same job in 15 minutes. How long would it take them to peel five pounds of apples if they worked on it together      Log On


   

Question 994302: Isabel can peel five pounds of apples in 12 minutes. John can do the same job in 15 minutes. How long would it take them to peel five pounds of apples if they worked on it together?
Answer by ikleyn(52802) About Me  (Show Source):
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1%2F12 + 1%2F15 = 5%2F60 + 4%2F60 = 9%2F60 = 3%2F20.

This part of  5  pounds of apples Isabel and John can peel together in  1 (one) minute:  3%2F20  of  5 pounds per minute.

Hence,  it will take  20%2F3 = 62%2F3  minutes,  or  6 minutes and  40   seconds,  for Isabel and John to peel  5  pounds of apples if they will work on it together.

For more problems on joint work see the lesson  Using fractions to solve word problems on joint work  in this site.

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