Question

If a crew of 4 workers complete the job in 10 hours, how long will it take 5 workers to complete the same job?

Answer 1

To find out how long it will take 5 workers to complete the job, we can use the concept of inverse variation. Setting up a proportion helps solve the problem. 5 workers will take 12.5 hours to complete the same job.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find out how long it will take 5 workers to complete the job, we can use the concept of inverse variation. Inverse variation states that when one quantity increases, the other quantity decreases, and vice versa, while their product remains constant. We can set up a proportion to solve the problem.

Since the number of workers is inversely proportional to the time it takes to complete the job, we can write the proportion as:

4 workers : 10 hours = 5 workers : x hours

By cross-multiplying, we get:

4 * x = 5 * 10

x = 50/4 or x = 12.5

Therefore, it will take 5 workers 12.5 hours to complete the same job.

Answer 2

we can solve using proportions

`(4)/(10) = (5)/(x)`
or 4 works is to 10 hours as 5 workers is to x hours.
to solve we cross multiply to get

`4x = 50 \\ x = (50)/(4)`
so it will take 5 men 12.5 hours!