First, let's convert the 1 hour 15 mins to mins
I hour 15 mins = 60 + 15 = 75 minutes
let x be the time taken to lay 500 bricks
40 bricks = 75 minutes
500 bricks = x
cross-multiply
40x = 500(75)
40x = 37500
divide both-side by 40
x = 937.5 minutes
we will now change bac to hour and minute
x = 937.5 minutes = 15 hours 37.5 minutes