Example 1 An experienced roofer can roof a house for Casey can paint a room in 5 hours and

When 6 times a number is increased by 4, 26 hours. A beginner needs 39 hours to do working with Jenny, the two of them
the result is 40. Find the number. the same job. How long will it take if the painted the room in 2 hours. How long
two roofers work together? would it have taken Jenny to paint the
Assumption: Let x be the number room alone?
Problem: Find the number. Assumption: Let x be the time the two
Solution: roofers work together Assumption: Let x be the time Jenny
6x + 4=40 Problem: How long will it take the two painted the room alone
6x = 40-4 roofers to work together? Problem: How long would it have taken
6x = 36 Jenny to paint the room alone?
6 6 Time of Portion of
x=6 The number is 6. hours job Time of hours Portion of
Experienced 26 1/26 Job
Beginner 39 1/39 Casey 5 1/5
Example 2 Together 1 1/t Jenny 1 1/t
One-fifth of a number is 2 less than one- Together 2 1/2
half of the same number. What is the Solution:
number? 1 1 1 LCD: 26(39) t 26 Solution:
39 t 1 1 1 LCD: 10t
Assumption: Let x be the number Accurate: 5 t 2
Problem: What is the number? 39t + 26t = 1014 78 = 15 3/5
Solution: 65t = 1014 5 2t + 10 = 5t
1 =1-2 LCD: 10 65 65 =15 + (3/5) 60 2t – 5t = -10
5 2 t = 78 or =15 hrs and 36 min -3t = -10
(10) = -3 -3
t = 10
2x = x – 10 The time that will take the two roofers 3
2x – x = -10 to work together is 78/ 5 or 15 hrs and
X = -1 The number is -10. 36 min. It would take Jenny 3 hours and 20
minutes to paint the room alone.

Example 1
The speed of the Lazy River’s current is
5 mph. A boat travels 20 miles
Example 1 downstream in the same time as
Example 2
traveling 10 miles upstream. Find the the speed of the train. Find the speed of
speed of the boat in still water. the car and train.

Assumption: Let x be the speed of Assumption: Let x be the speed of

the boat in still water. the train.
Problem: Find the speed of the Problem: Find the speed of the car
boat in still water. and the train.
Given:
rd = rs = water current x = speed of the train
rs = rd – water current x +30 = speed of the car
t = t = time it took for both
Distance Rate Time + vehicles
Distance/
Rate Solution:
Down 20 r +5 20/ (r+5) t =t
Up 10 r–5 10/ (r-5) 500 300 ; since t = d
x+30 x r
Solution:
20 10 LCD: (r+5) (r-5) LCD: x(x+30)
r +5 r-5
x(x+30) 500 300 x(x+30)
x +30 x
20r - 100 = 10r + 50
20r -10r = 100 +50 500x = 300x +9000
10r =150 500x -300x = 9000
10 10 200x =9000
r = 15 mph 200 200
The speed of the boat in still x = 45
water is 15 mph.
The speed of the car and train is
75 mph and 45 mph.

Example 2
A car travels 500 miles in the same
time that train travels 300 miles. The
speed of the car is 30 mph faster than