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Bunuel
A can do a piece of work in 16 days which B can doin 24 days. They begin together but 4 days before the completion of the work, A leaves off. The total number of days to complete the work is

(A) 6 3/5
(B) 8
(C) 8 ½
(D) 12
(E) 13 ½
Solution:

We see that A’s rate is 1/16 and B’s rate is 1/24. If we let x = the total number of days to complete the work, we can create the equation:

1/16 * (x - 4) + 1/24 * x = 1

Multiplying the equation by 48, we have:

3x - 12 + 2x = 48

5x = 60

x = 12

Answer: D
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User Work Days efficiency
A 48 16 3 ( Taking a common factor between 16 & 24 )
B 48 24 2
A+B 48 48/5 5

It is given that B works alone in the last 4 days which means 4x2 = 8 units of work is done in 4 days

Work left with A+B = 48-8 = 40 units of work

There it will take 40/5 = 8 days for A and B to complete 40 units of works

A+B days + Bdays = 8+4 = 12 Days
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Bunuel
A can do a piece of work in 16 days which B can doin 24 days. They begin together but 4 days before the completion of the work, A leaves off. The total number of days to complete the work is

(A) 6 3/5
(B) 8
(C) 8 ½
(D) 12
(E) 13 ½


Can someone help me to understand why this approach is wrong?

rates of A and B: 1/16 and 1/24

They can finish the job in 48/5 days

A and B work together for (48/5 - 4)= 28/5 days and so they complete (1/16 + 1/24) * 28/5 = 7/12 of the job

It remains only B to complete the remaining 1-7/12= 5/12 of the job and so B works for d * 1/24 = 5/12 ----> 10 days

The final amount of days should be 28/5 + 10 = 78/5 ----> I know it's wrong but I can't figure out why...

Thanks
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Bunuel
A can do a piece of work in 16 days which B can doin 24 days. They begin together but 4 days before the completion of the work, A leaves off. The total number of days to complete the work is

(A) 6 3/5
(B) 8
(C) 8 ½
(D) 12
(E) 13 ½


Can someone help me to understand why this approach is wrong?

rates of A and B: 1/16 and 1/24

They can finish the job in 48/5 days

A and B work together for (48/5 - 4)= 28/5 days and so they complete (1/16 + 1/24) * 28/5 = 7/12 of the job

It remains only B to complete the remaining 1-7/12= 5/12 of the job and so B works for d * 1/24 = 5/12 ----> 10 days

The final amount of days should be 28/5 + 10 = 78/5 ----> I know it's wrong but I can't figure out why...

Thanks

because it's written in question that A left 4 days before completion.
So it means that B has worked alone for 4 days.....

for (total-4) days they have worked with each other for last 4 B worked alone.

Posted from my mobile device
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Nik11
Bunuel
A can do a piece of work in 16 days which B can doin 24 days. They begin together but 4 days before the completion of the work, A leaves off. The total number of days to complete the work is

(A) 6 3/5
(B) 8
(C) 8 ½
(D) 12
(E) 13 ½


Can someone help me to understand why this approach is wrong?

rates of A and B: 1/16 and 1/24

They can finish the job in 48/5 days

A and B work together for (48/5 - 4)= 28/5 days and so they complete (1/16 + 1/24) * 28/5 = 7/12 of the job

It remains only B to complete the remaining 1-7/12= 5/12 of the job and so B works for d * 1/24 = 5/12 ----> 10 days

The final amount of days should be 28/5 + 10 = 78/5 ----> I know it's wrong but I can't figure out why...

Thanks

because it's written in question that A left 4 days before completion.
So it means that B has worked alone for 4 days.....

for (total-4) days they have worked with each other for last 4 B worked alone.

Posted from my mobile device

Ok I imagined that this could be the unique issue. So the problem don't want to say that B leaves 4 days before the END of the job that there would have been if A and B had worked together, right? If that's the case, for me is a bit confusing and surely not crystal clear how has it been worded the problem.
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because it's written in question that A left 4 days before completion.
So it means that B has worked alone for 4 days.....

for (total-4) days they have worked with each other for last 4 B worked alone.

Posted from my mobile device[/quote]

Ok I imagined that this could be the unique issue. So the problem don't want to say that B leaves 4 days before the END of the job that there would have been if A and B had worked together, right? If that's the case, for me is a bit confusing and surely not crystal clear how has it been worded the problem.[/quote]

Bro. even i missed it in first try. I also did same mistake as you did.
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Gknight5603
because it's written in question that A left 4 days before completion.
So it means that B has worked alone for 4 days.....

for (total-4) days they have worked with each other for last 4 B worked alone.

Posted from my mobile device

Ok I imagined that this could be the unique issue. So the problem don't want to say that B leaves 4 days before the END of the job that there would have been if A and B had worked together, right? If that's the case, for me is a bit confusing and surely not crystal clear how has it been worded the problem.[/quote]

Bro. even i missed it in first try. I also did same mistake as you did.[/quote]

Oh ahah, it's a bit consoling :D
Anyway thank you very much for your help
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Total no of days = T
They worked together for T-4 days
So the work completed in T-4 Days= (T-4)*5/48
(5/48 is the work done by both in 1 day )

Last 4 days B wokred alone
4*1/24

so the equation is
(t-4)*5/48 + 4/24= 1

( 1 is the total work done)

Solving the equation
T=12 days
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