When operated separately, pipe A takes 5 hours less than pipe B to fill a cistern, and when both pipes are operated together, the cistern gets filled in 6 hours. In how much time (in hours) will pipe B fill the cistern, if operated separately?
When operated separately, pipe A takes 5 hours less than pipe B to fill a cistern, and when both pipes are operated together, the cistern gets filled in 6 hours. In how much time (in hours) will pipe B fill the cistern, if operated separately? Correct Answer 15
Given:
Pipe A takes 5 hours less than pipe B to fill a cistern.
Time to fill the tank by pipe A and B together = 6 hours
Formula used:
Efficiency = Total work/total time
Concept used:
Let time to fill the whole tank by pipe B alone be x hours.
So, time to fill the whole tank by pipe A will be (x - 5) hours.
Let capacity of total tank be 6x(x - 5) units.
Efficiency of pipe A = 6x(x - 5)/(x - 5)
⇒ 6x units/hour
Efficiency of pipe B = 6x(x - 5)/x
⇒ 6(x - 5) units/hour
Efficiency of A and B together = 6x(x - 5)/6
⇒ x(x - 5) units/hour
Equating combined efficiency,
6x + 6(x - 5) = x(x - 5)
⇒ 6x + 6x - 30 = x2 - 5x
⇒ 12x - 30 = x2 - 5x
⇒ x2 - 5x - 12x + 30 = 0
⇒ x2 - 17x + 30 = 0
⇒ (x - 15)(x - 2) = 0
Taking (x - 15) = 0
⇒ x = 15 hours
∴ Pipe B will fill the cistern in 15 hours.