Problema Solution

one custodian cleans a suite of offices in two hours. When a second worker is asked to join the regular custodian it only takes 1 1/3 hours. How long does it take the second worker to do the same job alone

Answer provided by our tutors

Let x represent the number of hours the second worker needs to clean the suite of offices alone


The rate of the second worker is: 1/x office per hour


The rate of the regular custodian is: 1/2 office per hour


1 1/3 = (1*3 + 1)/3 = 4/3


The together rate is: 3/4 office per hour


1/2 + 1/x = 3/4

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x = 4 hr


The second worker needs 4 hours to do the same job alone.