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Courtney and Joe are power washing the patio. Courtney can power wash the entirepatio in 7 hours while it takes Joe just 5 hours to power wash the patio. How long willit take Courtney and Joe to power wash the patio together? Choose the equation thatshould be used to solve this problem and state the solution

User VincFort
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1 Answer

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Solution:

Given:

Courtney can power wash the entire patio in 7 hours while

it takes Joe just 5 hours to power wash the patio

Based on the given information,

Courtney work rate = 1/7

Joe work rate = 1/5

let x represent the number of hours it take Courtney and Joe to power wash the patio together

Thus,


\begin{gathered} (1)/(x)=(1)/(7)+(1)/(5) \\ \\ (1)/(x)=(5+7)/(35) \\ \\ (1)/(x)=(12)/(35) \\ \\ x\text{ =}(35)/(12)\text{ hours} \\ \\ x=2(11)/(12)\text{ hours} \\ \\ The\text{ answer is 2}(11)/(12)hours \end{gathered}

User Suzy Lockwood
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