Question

A 12 inch candle and an 18 inch Candle are lit at 6 p.m. The 12 inch candle burns 0.5 inches every hour. The 18 inch candle burns 2 inches every hour. At what time will the two candles be the same height? Let H represent the number of hours.

PLEASE HELP ME AND SHOW ME HOW I AM SPOUSED TO FIGURE IT OUT??

Answer 1

18 - 2H = 12 - .5H
Combine the variables
18 - 2H + .5H = 12 - .5H + .5H
18 - 1.5H = 12
Combine the whole numbers
18 - 18 - 1.5H = 12 - 18
-1.5H = -6
Divide by -1.5
-1.5H/-1.5 = -6 / -1.5
H = 4
The answer is 4 hours