8 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 15 hours and each outlet tap can empty the tank in 30 hours. Find the number of inlet taps if the whole tank is filled in 3 hours when all 8 taps are open.

8 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 15 hours and each outlet tap can empty the tank in 30 hours. Find the number of inlet taps if the whole tank is filled in 3 hours when all 8 taps are open. Correct Answer 6

Given:

Total number of taps = 8

Time taken by each inlet tap to fill the tank = 15 hours

Time taken by each outlet tap to empty the tank = 30 hours

Total time taken to fill the tank = 3 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 (8 – x)

L.C.M of 15 and 30 = 30 units = Total work

Total time taken to fill the tank = 3 hours

Efficiency of all 8 taps = 30/3 = 10 units

Efficiency of each inlet tap = 30/15 = 2 units

Now, Efficiency of x inlet taps = 2x

Efficiency of each outlet tap = 30/30 = 1 unit

Efficiency of (8-x) outlet taps = (8-x)

So, Total efficiency of 8 taps = efficiency of inlet taps – efficiency of outlet taps

⇒ Total efficiency of 8 taps = 2x – (8 – x)

So, 2x – (8 – x) = 10

⇒ 3x – 8 = 10

⇒ 3x = 18

⇒ x = 6

∴ The number of inlet taps is 6

Related Questions

The following questions have three statements. Study the question and the statements and decide which of the statement(s) is/are necessary to answer the question. In how many hours tap B can fill the completely empty tank? Statement I: The inlet tap A and the outlet tap C working simultaneously takes 40 hours to fill the tank. Statement II: Efficiency of inlet tap B is equal to efficiency of outlet tap C or 62.5% of the efficiency of inlet tap A. Statement III: The outlet tap C can empty a half filled tank in 12 hours.