How long will it take two…

Mathematics Questions

How long will it take two machines, one picking a bale of cotton in 25 minutes and the other in 30 minutes, to complete the job together?

Short Answer

The two machines take approximately 13.64 minutes to produce one bale of cotton when working together. The first machine has a rate of 1 bale every 25 minutes, while the second produces 1 bale every 30 minutes, resulting in a combined rate of 11/150 bales per minute.

Step-by-Step Solution

13.64 minutes

Step 1: Determine the Rates of the Machines

Firstly, you need to find the working rates of both machines. The first machine can produce 1 bale every 25 minutes, which translates to a rate of x = 1/25 bales/min. The second machine, on the other hand, produces 1 bale every 30 minutes, giving it a rate of y = 1/30 bales/min.

Step 2: Calculate the Combined Rate

Next, you will combine the rates of both machines to figure out how quickly they can work together. This is done by adding their individual rates:

  • Combined Rate = x + y = 1/25 + 1/30
  • This can be simplified to = (30 + 25)/(25 * 30) = 55/750
  • Thus, the combined rate is 11/150 bales/min.

Step 3: Find the Time Taken to Pick One Bale

The final step involves calculating the time required for both machines to produce 1 bale of cotton using their combined rate. This is done by dividing the desired quantity by the combined rate:

  • Time = (1 bale)/(11/150 bales/min)
  • This simplifies to = 150/11 minutes.
  • So, the time taken is approximately 13.64 minutes.

Related Concepts

Rate of work

The speed at which a machine can produce goods, typically expressed in units produced per time period (e.g., bales per minute).

Combined rate

The total production speed when two or more machines work together, calculated by adding the individual rates of each machine.

Time calculation

The process of determining the duration required to complete a specific task, calculated by dividing the desired output by the rate of work.

Scroll to Top