Question 1030798
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Sam can paint the classroom in 5 hours and working with Sal they can paint the room in 3 hours. How long does it take Sal to paint the room alone?
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<pre>
Sam's rate of work is  {{{1/5}}}  of the room painted surface per hour.

Sams and Sal's combined rate of work is  {{{1/3}}}  of the room area per hour when they work together.

Hence, Sal's rate of work is the difference

{{{1/3 - 1/5}}} = {{{5/15 - 3/15}}} = {{{2/15}}} of the room area per hour.

It means that Sal takes {{{15/2}}} = {{{7}}}{{{1/2}}} hours to pint the room working alone.
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For many other similar problems on joint work, you can find their detailed solutions in these lessons

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- <A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/Rate-of-work-word-problems/Word-problems-WORKING-TOGETHER-by-Fractions.lesson>Using Fractions to solve word problems on joint work</A> 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- <A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/Rate-of-work-word-problems/Solving-more-complicated-word-problems-on-joint-work.lesson>Solving more complicated word problems on joint work</A> 

in this site.