Bob can type two recommendation letters in 4 hours while Bill can accomplish the same task in 6 hours. How many hours would it take them, working together, to type six letters?

Mathematics · Middle School · Tue Nov 03 2020

Answered on

Given :

Bob can write 2 letters in 4 hours. 

So, letter per hour written by bob = 2/4 

= 1/2 letter

Bill can write 2 letters in 6 hours.

So, letter per hour written by Bill = 2/6

= 1/3 letter

Thus, production rate of bob and Bill = 1 /2 + 1 /3

= (3 + 2)/6

= 5/6

Production rate of 6 letters can be given by :

Rate × time = letters

5/6 × time = 6

time = 6 × 6/5

= 36/5 

= 7 1/5 hours

 

Thus, it would take bob and Bill together 7 1/5 hours to write 6 letters.