WORK PROBLEM

The goal of a “working together” problem is generally to figure how fast a job can
be completed if two or more workers do the job together.

1. It takes Ceppee 6 hours to build a fence. If he asks Jandy to help him, together they can
do the job in just 4 hours. How long would it take Jandy to build the same fence if he
works alone?

Step 1: Read and understand the problem

We are asked to find how long would it take Jandy to do the job if he works
alone.

Step 2: Assign variables. Draw a diagram or table if necessary

Let x be the amount of time it takes Jandy to build the fence (in hours) if he works
alone.

Step 3: Write the equations

Ceppee would need 6 hours if he did the entire job by himself, so his working
rate is one-sixth (1/6) of the job per hour.

Likewise, Jandy’s rate is one over x (1/x) of the job per hour. And the rate, if they
worked together, is one-fourth (1/4) of the job per hour.

1 1 1
+ =
6 x 4

Step 4: Solve the equations

1 1 1
+ =
6 x 4

x+6 1
6x
= 4

4 (x+6) = 6x (1)
 4x + 24 = 6x

24 = 6x – 4x

24 = 2x

x = 12

Step 5: State the answer

Remember that x represents the amount of time it takes Jandy to build the fence
(in hours) if he works alone. So, working alone, he can build the fence in only 12 hours.

Step 6: Check your answer

1 1 1
6
+ x=4

1 1 1
+
6 12 4
=

1(2) 1 1
+
6(2) 12 4
=

2+ 1 1
12
=4

3 1
=
12 4

1 1
4
= 4

2. Ana can wash a car in 6 hours. If Anne helps her in the entire job, they can finish it in 4

hours. How long will it take Anne to do the work alone?

Step 1: Read and understand the problem

We are asked to find the time Anne does the job alone.
Step 2: Assign variables. Draw a diagram or table if necessary

Let x be the time it takes Anne to wash the car (in hours) if she works alone.

Step 3: Write the equations

Ana would need 6 hours to complete the entre job by herself, so her working rate
is one-sixth (1/6) of the job per hour.

If they worked together, rate is one-fourth (1/4) of the job per hour.

1 1 1
6
+ x=4

Step 4: Solve the equations

1 1 1
[ ]
+ = (12x)
6 x 4
multiply both sides of the equation by 12x to

eliminate denominators

2x + 12 = 3x

12 = 3x – 2x

x= 12

Step 5: State the answer

It takes 12 hours for Anne to do the job alone.

Step 6: Check your answer

1 1 1
6
+ x=4

1 1 1
+
6 12 4
=

2+ 1 1
12
=4
 3 1
=
12 4

1 1
4
= 4

3. Pipe A can fill a tank in 6 hours. Pipe B takes 4 hours to fill the same tank. How long
would it take them to do the job if they fill the tank together?
Step 1: Read the Problem
We are asked to find the total time it takes the two pipes to fill the tank if they
work together.
Step 2: Assign Variables. Draw a diagram
Let x be the total number of hours it takes them to fill the tank.
Step 3: Write the equation.
1 1 1
+
6 4
= x
Step 4: Solve the equation
1 1 1
+
6 4
= x
4+ 6 1
24
= x
10x = 24
x = 12/5 or 2.4

Step 5: State the answer

It takes 2.4 hours for the two pipes to fill the tank if they work together.

Step 6: Check your answer

1 1 1
+
6 4
= x
1 1 1
+ =
6 4 12/5
 2+ 3 5
12
= 12
5 5
=
12 12

TRY THESE
Solve the following problems. You can represent the unknowns with any variable or
letter.

1. It takes 10 hours for Angie to make a bench. If she asks Arnold to help her together
they can do the job in just 4 hours. How long would it take Arnold to make the same
bench if he works alone?

Solution:
1 1 1
+ =
10 x 4
x+10 1
=
10 x 4
4 (x + 10) = 1 (10x)
4x + 40 = 10x
4x – 10x = -40
−6 x −40
=
−6 −6
20 2
x= or 6 ∨¿6.67
3 3

Check:
1 1 1
10
+ x 4
=
1
1 1
10
+ 2o =
4
3
1 3 1
+
10 20 4
=
2+ 3 1
20
=4
5 1
=
20 4
 1 1
=
4 4

2. A pipe fills a pool in 5 hours. Another pipe can empty the same pool in 8 hours. If the
two pieces are both opened, how long will the pool be filled?

Solution:
1 1 1
- = x
5 8
8−5 1
40
= x
3 1
=
40 x
3x = 40
40 1
x= or 13 or 13.33
3 3

Check:
1 1 1
- =
5 8 x
1
1 1
- =
5 8
40
3
8−5 3
=
40 40
3 3
=
40 40

3. A garden hose can fill an above-ground pool in 15 hours. A second hose can fill the
same pool twice as fast as the first one. If both hoses fill the pool together, how many
hours will it take them to do such task?

Solution:
1 2
+ =x
15 15
3
=x
15
5=x

Check:
 1 2
+ =5
15 15
3
=5
15
5=5

4. It takes Ceppee 8 hours to build a fence. If he asks Jandy to help him, together they
can do the job in just 6 hours. How long would it take Jandy to build the same fence if
he works alone?

Solution:
1 1 1
+ =
8 x 6
x+ 8 1
=
8x 6
6 (x + 8) = 1 (8x)
6x + 48 = 8x
6x – 8x = -48
−2 x −48
=
−2 −2
x = 24

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
8 x 6
1 1 1
+ =
8 24 6
3+1 1
=
24 6
4 1
24 6
=
1 1
=
6 6

5. A pipe fills a pool in 6 hours. Another pipe can empty the same pool in 8 hours. If the
two pipes are both opened, how long will the pool be filled?

Solution:
1 1
¿ - = ] (24x)
8 x
4x – 3x = 24
x = 24

Check:
1 1 1
- =
6 8 x
1 1 1
- =
6 8 24
4−3 1
24
= = 24
1 1
=
24 24

6. A garden hose can fill a pool in 12 hours. A second hose can fill the same pool thrice
as fast as the first one. If both hoses fill the pool together, how many hours will take
them to do such task?

Solution:
1 1 1
+3( )=
12 12 x
1 3 1
+ =
12 12 x
4 1
=
12 x
4 x 12
=
4 4
x=3

Check:
1 3 1
+ =
12 12 x
1 3 1
+ =
12 12 3
4 1
=
12 3
1 1
=
3 3

7. It takes Mike 12 hours to build a fence. If he asks Andrew to help him, together they
can do the job in just 5 hours. How long would it take Andrew to build the same
fence if he works alone?
 Solution:
1 1 1
+ =
12 x 5
x+12 1
=
12 x 5
(x + 12) 5 = (12x) 1
5x + 60 = 12x
5x – 12x = -60
−7 x −60
=
−7 −7
4
x = 8 or 8.57
7

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
12 x 5
1
1 1
12
+ 60 =
5
7
1 7 1
+ =
12 60 5
5+7 1
60
=5
12 1
=
60 5
1 1
=
5 5

8. A man can mow his lawn in 4 hours. It takes his son 120 minutes to do the same job.
How long will it take them to do the job if they work together?

Solution:
1 hr 120
120 mins x = = 2 hours
60 mins 60
1 1 1
+ =
4 2 x
1+ 2 1
4
= x
3 1
=
4 x
3x 4
=
3 3
4 1
x= or 1 or 1.33
3 3

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
4 2 x
1
1 1
4
+2= 4
3
1 1 3
4
+ =
2 4
1+ 2 3
=
4 4
3 3
=
4 4

9. One pipe fills a pool in 5 hours. A second pipe, used to drain the water from the same
pool, can empty the pool in 9 hours. If both pipes are open, how long will it take them
to fill the pool if one pipe is filling and the other is emptying?

Solution:
1 1
¿ - = ] (45x)
9 x
9x – 5x = 45
4x = 45
45 1
x= or 11 or 11.25
4 4

Check:
1 1 1
- =
5 9 x
1
1 1
- = 45
5 9
4
9−5 4
45
= 45
4 4
=
45 45
10. Supposed one painter can paint the entire house in twelve hours, and the second
painter takes eight hours, how long would it take the two painters together to paint the
house if they work together.

Solution:
1 1
¿ + = ] (24x)
8 x
2x + 3x = 24
5x = 24
24 4
x = or 4 or 4.8
5 5

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
12 8 x
1
1 1
+ = 24
12 8
5
2+ 3 5
=
24 24
5 5
=
24 24

11. Two people were working on a car. One can complete the given job in 8 hours, but
the new guy takes 10 hours.They worked together for 2 hours, and the first guyleft to
help another mechanic on a different job. How long will it take the new guy to
complete the job alone?

Solution:
2 2 x
+ + =1
8 10 10
2 x
¿+ + = 1]40
10 10
10+8+ 4 x=40
4x = 40 – (10 + 8)
4x = 40 – 18
4x = 22
4x 22
=
4 4
11
x=
2
 Check:
2 2 x
+ +
8 10 10
=1
11
2 2
+ + 2 =1
8 10
10
2 2 11
+ + =1
8 10 20
10+8+22
40
=1
40
=1
40
1=1

12. Philip, Jandy and Arnold can finish the job in three hours. If Philip does the job alone,
he can make it in 8 hours and Jandy can make it in 12 hours. How long will it take
Arnold to do the job alone?

Solution:
1 1 1 1
+ + =
8 12 x 3
12 x +8 x+ 96 1
=
96 x 3
20 x +96 1
=
96 x 3
3 (20x + 96) = 1 (96x)
60x + 288 = 96x
60x – 96x = -288
−33 x −288
−1
= −1
33 x 288÷ 3
=
33 33÷ 3
96 8
x = 11 or 8 11 or 8.73

Check:
1 1 1 1
+ + =
8 12 x 3
 1 1
1 + 1
8
+ 12 96 =
3
11
1 1 11 1
+ + =
8 12 96 3
12+ 8+11 1
=
96 3
31 1
=
96 3
1 1
=
3 3

13. Pipe one can fill certain tank in 4 hours, pipe two can fill the same tank in 5 hours and
pipe three can empty the same tank in 6 hours. If the is initially empty, and all three
pipes are open, how long will it take them to fill the tank?

Solution:
1 1 1 1
[ + + = ] (60x)
4 5 6 x
15x + 12x + 10x = 60
37x = 60
60 23
x = or 1 or 1.62
37 37

Check:
1 1 1 1
+ + =
4 5 6 x
1
1 1 1
+
4 5 6
+ = 60
37
15+12+ 10 37
=
60 60
37 37
=
60 60

14. Pipe one can fill the tank in 2 hours and pipe two can empty the same tank in3 hours.
If the tank is initially empty and both pipes are open, how long will the tank become
full?

Solution:
 1 1 1
[ + = ] (6x)
2 3 x
3x + 2x = 6
5x = 6
6
x = or 1.2
5

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
2 3 x
1
1 1
+ = 6
2 3
5
1 1 5
+ =
2 3 6
3+2 5
=
6 6
5 5
=
6 6

15. Pipe one can fill a certain tank in 3 hours; pipe three can empty the same tank in 6
hours. How long will it take pipe two to fill the tank which is initially empty if the
three pipes can fill the tank in 2 hours?

Solution:
1 1 1 1
3
+ x+6=2
2+ 6 x+1 1
6
=2
2 (6x + 3) = 1 (6)
12x +6 = 6
12x = 6 – 6
12 x 0
12
= 12
x=0

Check:
1 1 1 1
3
+ x+6=2
1 1 1 1
+ + =
3 0 6 2
2+ 0 1 1
=
6 2
3 1
=
6 2
1 1
=
2 2

16. Pipe one can fill a certain tank in 2 hours. How long will it take pipe two to empty the
same tank which is initially empty if both pipes can fill and empty the tank in 6
hours?

Solution:
1 1 1
[ − = ] (6x)
2 x 6
3x – 6 = x
3x – x = 6
2x = 6
6
x=
2
x=3

Check:
1 1 1
− =
2 x 6
1 1 1
− =
2 3 6
3−2 1
=
6 6
1 1
=
6 6

17. Ana can do a certain job in 12 hours. Randy can finish the same job in 4 hours. How
long will it take them to finish the job if they work together?

Solution:
1 1 1
[ + = ] (12x)
12 4 x
x + 3x = 12
4x = 12
12
x=
4
x=3

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
12 4 x
1 1 1
+ =
12 4 3
1+ 3 1
=
12 3
4 1
=
12 3
1 1
=
3 3

18. A hot water tap can fill the tub in 30 minutes and the cold water tub can fill the same
tub in 25 minutes. How long will it take the two taps to fill the tubs if they work
together?

Solution:
1 1 1
[ 30 + 25 = x ] (150x)
5x + 6x = 150
11x = 150
150 7
x= or 13 or 13.64
11 11

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
30 25 x
1
1 1
+
30 25
= 150
11
1 1 11
+ =
30 25 150
5+6 11
=
150 150
11 11
=
150 150
19. A hot water tap can fill the tub in 1.5 hours and the cold water tap can fill the same
tub in 45 minutes. How long will it take the two taps to fill the tubs if they work
together?

1.5 hours = 90 minutes

Solution:
1 1 1
[ 90 + 45 = x ] (90x)
x + 2x = 90
3x = 90
90
x=
3
x = 30

Check:
1 1 1
+ =
90 45 x
1 1 1
+ =
90 45 30
1+ 2 1
=
90 30
3 1
=
90 30
1 1
=
30 30
Prepared by :
Fenex Kyn M. Solibio
Ellen Grace M. Zapanta
Karen Viscaya
Christine Joy Quizan