Question 594695
A carpenter can complete a certain job in 5 hours. After working on the job for 2 hours, an assistant helped finished the job. Together they completed the job in 1 hour. How long might it take the assistant, working alone, to complete a job similar to this one?
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let x=hours assistant might take to complete the job working alone.
1/x=assistant work rate
1/5=Given carpenter's work rate
..
Carpenter worked 3 hours on the job or completed 3*1/5=3/5 of the job
Assistant worked 1 hour on the job or completed 1*1/x=1/x of the job
..
3/5+1/x=100% of the job=1
1/x=1-3/5
=5/5-3/5
=2/5
x=5/2
ans:
hours assistant might take to complete the job working alone=2.5