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Re: Working Together [#permalink]
B. 2: 1

Wd = Time to complete when Dave works alone
Wn = Time to complete when Donna works alone
Wt = Time to complete when work together

Wd-Wt = 20 ---(1)
Wn-Wt = 5 ----(2)
1/Wd + 1/Wn = 1/Wt ---(3)

solve these 3 equations , you'll get (Wd)^2 = 20 (Wn)^2 = 5
so Wd/Wn = 2:1
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Re: Working Together [#permalink]
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Lets say Dave takes 50 hrs.
then Dave + Diane takes 30 hrs.
Since Diane take 5 hrs less so she takes 25 hrs.

Ratio of Dave/Diane = 50/25 = 2/1.
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Re: Working Together [#permalink]
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meaningful wrote:
B. 2: 1

Wd = Time to complete when Dave works alone
Wn = Time to complete when Donna works alone
Wt = Time to complete when work together

Wd-Wt = 20 ---(1)
Wn-Wt = 5 ----(2)
1/Wd + 1/Wn = 1/Wt ---(3)

solve these 3 equations , you'll get (Wd)^2 = 20 (Wn)^2 = 5
so Wd/Wn = 2:1


I agree with your setup, but you should not at the end find that (Wd)^2 = 20 or that (Wn)^2 = 5 -- clearly in that case Diana doesn't take 15 hours less time than Dave. You should find that together they take 10 hours, that Diana alone takes 15, and that Dave alone takes 30.

meaningful is just using the standard combined rates formula here: if Dave finishes a job in x hours, and Diana finishes a job in y hours, and together they finish the job in t hours, then

1/x + 1/y = 1/t

Here, x = t + 20, and y = t + 5. Solve the following:

1/(t+20) + 1/(t+5) = 1/t

and you'll find that t = 10.

______

There's another way one could look at the problem. If together they take t hours, then Diana takes t+5, and Dave takes t+20. If we had two workers like Diana, they would take (t+5)/2 hours. We don't - Dave is slower than Diana - so t must be greater than (t+5)/2. Similarly, two workers like Dave would take (t + 20)/2 hours, but we don't have two workers like Dave - Diana is faster - so t must be less than (t + 20)/2. So,

(t+5)/2 < t < (t + 20)/2
5 < t < 20

Notice then that Diana's time (t+5) is between 10 and 25, Dave's time (t+20) is between 25 and 40, and the ratio of their times must be between 25/10 and 40/25. Only one answer is in that range.
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Re: Working Together [#permalink]
i dont understand why we are taking like this
Wd-Wt = 20 ---(1)
Wn-Wt = 5 ----(2)

Coz I wrote this step like (1/Wd)- (1/Wt)= 1/20
similarly 1/Wn - 1/Wt = 1/5

i dont understand when to use 1/x + 1/y and when to take it as x+y

Please explain
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
asimov wrote:
If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a task than if he worked with Diana to complete the task. If Diana works alone, she will take 5 more hours to complete the complete the task, then if she worked with Dave to complete the task? What is the ratio of the time taken by Dave to that taken by Diana if each of them worked alone to complete the task?

A. 4 : 1
B. 2 : 1
C. 10 : 1
D. 3 : 1
E. 1 : 2


I am so FRUSTRATED :evil: :evil: :evil: :cry:

I keep getting \(\frac{1}{t+20} + \frac{1}{t+5}= \frac{1}{4}\)

because \(\frac{1}{20}+ \frac{1}{5}=\frac{1}{4}\)

none of these explanations are clicking

furthermore, Dave has the slowest rate...and if it took them both 10 hours to complete the task, it took Dave alone 30 hours....Diana 15 hours

that's why its 2:1

none of this crap you guys are saying...its logic based
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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TroyfontaineMacon wrote:
asimov wrote:
If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a task than if he worked with Diana to complete the task. If Diana works alone, she will take 5 more hours to complete the complete the task, then if she worked with Dave to complete the task? What is the ratio of the time taken by Dave to that taken by Diana if each of them worked alone to complete the task?

A. 4 : 1
B. 2 : 1
C. 10 : 1
D. 3 : 1
E. 1 : 2


I am so FRUSTRATED :evil: :evil: :evil: :cry:

I keep getting \(\frac{1}{t+20} + \frac{1}{t+5}= \frac{1}{4}\)

because \(\frac{1}{20}+ \frac{1}{5}=\frac{1}{4}\)

none of these explanations are clicking

furthermore, Dave has the slowest rate...and if it took them both 10 hours to complete the task, it took Dave alone 30 hours....Diana 15 hours

that's why its 2:1

none of this crap you guys are saying...its logic based


There is one thing wrong here: \(\frac{1}{t+20} + \frac{1}{t+5}= \frac{1}{4}\)

You are adding the rates of Dave and Diana which is perfectly fine but how do they add up to 1/4? They add up to 1/t because we are assuming that it takes them t hrs to complete the work together. You can write this:
\(\frac{1}{t+20} + \frac{1}{t+5}= \frac{1}{t}\)
and then you will get t = 10

(This is 'Another Method' discussed in my post above)
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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Can't grasp what anyone is explaining here so here's my explanation:

To complete a job Dave must work: 1/(t+20)

To complete the same job, Diana must work: 1/(t+5)

Therefore 1/(t+20) + 1/(t+5) = 1/t Jobs

Solve the equation and you get that time = 10

1/(10+20) + 1/(10+5) = 1/10 job

Therefore it takes Dave time of 30 and Diana time of 15.

This works nicely and follows the standard Work/Rate formulas.

Kudos if this helped, quote & yell at me if this doesn't make sense

:lol:

Originally posted by ak1802 on 06 Feb 2014, 12:40.
Last edited by ak1802 on 06 Feb 2014, 19:58, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
For 1/(t+20)+1(t+5) = 1/t .... how does t = 10? I don't know how to calculate it.
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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bradburyj wrote:
For 1/(t+20)+1(t+5) = 1/t .... how does t = 10? I don't know how to calculate it.


Hey, I hope this helps:

[1/(t+5) ] + [1/(t+20)] = 1/t

(t+20+t+5) / [(t+5)*(t+20)] = 1/t

(t+5)*(t+20) = t(t+20) + t(t+5)

t^2 + 25t + 100 = t^2 + 20t + t^2 + 5t

100 = t^2

10 = t , plug 10 = t back into the original set-up.
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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short cut for such problems:

time taken to complete the task working together = sqrt (20*5) = 10.
Dave takes 20 more hours = 10 + 20 = 30; Diane takes 5 more hours = 5 + 10 = 15.

Ratio = 30/15 = 2:1
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
ak1802 wrote:
bradburyj wrote:
For 1/(t+20)+1(t+5) = 1/t .... how does t = 10? I don't know how to calculate it.



(t+20+t+5) / [(t+5)*(t+20)] = 1/t

(t+5)*(t+20) = t(t+20) + t(t+5)




Could you please explain this step in detail?
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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KingMike782 wrote:
ak1802 wrote:
bradburyj wrote:
For 1/(t+20)+1(t+5) = 1/t .... how does t = 10? I don't know how to calculate it.



(t+20+t+5) / [(t+5)*(t+20)] = 1/t

(t+5)*(t+20) = t(t+20) + t(t+5)




Could you please explain this step in detail?


\(\frac{t+20+t+5}{(t+5)*(t+20)} = \frac{1}{t}\);

Cross-multiply: \(((t+20)+(t+5))t=(t+5)*(t+20)\);

Expand the left-hand side: \(t*(t+20)+t*(t+5)=(t+5)*(t+20)\).
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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asimov wrote:
If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a task than if he worked with Diana to complete the task. If Diana works alone, she will take 5 more hours to complete the complete the task, then if she worked with Dave to complete the task? What is the ratio of the time taken by Dave to that taken by Diana if each of them worked alone to complete the task?

A. 4 : 1
B. 2 : 1
C. 10 : 1
D. 3 : 1
E. 1 : 2


Please find the solution as attached.
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If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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asimov wrote:
If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a task than if he worked with Diana to complete the task. If Diana works alone, she will take 5 more hours to complete the complete the task, then if she worked with Dave to complete the task? What is the ratio of the time taken by Dave to that taken by Diana if each of them worked alone to complete the task?

A. 4 : 1
B. 2 : 1
C. 10 : 1
D. 3 : 1
E. 1 : 2

1. Let x be the time required when both work together
2. Dave's time is x+20 and Diana's time is x+5
3. 1/(x+20) + 1/(x+5) = 1/x
x=10. So the ratio is 30:15 or 2:1
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
shreyas wrote:
short cut for such problems:

time taken to complete the task working together = sqrt (20*5) = 10.
Dave takes 20 more hours = 10 + 20 = 30; Diane takes 5 more hours = 5 + 10 = 15.

Ratio = 30/15 = 2:1


Does anyone know any similar shortcut had Diana taken 5 hours less to complete the task?
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
Let x be time required for both to complete task.
Working alone Dave will complete task in 20+x

And Diana in x+ 5 hours.

Therefore

1/20+x + 1/x+5 = 1/x

x2 +5x +20x + x2 = 20x + x2 + 100 + 5x

x2 = 100
x = 10.

So Dave: Diana

30:15
2:1.

Posted from my mobile device
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Re: If Dave works alone he will take 20 more hours to complete a [#permalink]
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