15 taps are fitted in a tank in which some are inlet taps and some are outlet taps. Each inlet tap can fill the tank in 30 hours and each outlet tap can empty the tank in 60 hours. Find the number of inlet taps if the whole tank is filled in 4 hours when all the 15 taps are open.
15 taps are fitted in a tank in which some are inlet taps and some are outlet taps. Each inlet tap can fill the tank in 30 hours and each outlet tap can empty the tank in 60 hours. Find the number of inlet taps if the whole tank is filled in 4 hours when all the 15 taps are open. Correct Answer 10
Given:
Total number of taps = 15
Time taken by each inlet tap to fill the tank = 30 hours
Time taken by each outlet tap to empty the tank = 60 hours
Total time taken to fill the tank = 4 hours
Concept used:
Total work = Time taken × Efficiency
And, Total efficiency = efficiency of inlet taps – efficiency of outlet taps
Calculation:
Let total number of inlet taps be x
Total number of outlet taps be (15 – x)
L.C.M of 30 and 60 = 60 units = Total work
Total time taken to fill the tank = 4 hours
Efficiency of all 15 taps = 60/4 = 15 units
Efficiency of each inlet tap = 60/30 = 2 units
Now, Efficiency of x inlet taps = 2x
Efficiency of each outlet tap = 60/60 = 1 units
Efficiency of (15 - x) outlet taps = (15 - x)
So, Total efficiency of 15 taps = efficiency of inlet taps – efficiency of outlet taps
⇒ Total efficiency of 15 taps = 2x – (15 – x)
So, 2x – (15 – x) = 15
⇒ 3x – 15 = 15
⇒ 3x = 30
⇒ x = 10
∴ The number of inlet taps is 10