Jenny and Penny can eat a whole gallon of ice cream together in 2 hours. Penny and Lenny can eat a whole gallon of ice cream together in 1 2/3 hours. All three together can eat a whole gallon of ice cream together in 1 hour. How many hours would it take Jenny to eat a whole gallon of ice cream all by herself?
For a question like this, it is essential that you explain carefully to your reader what any variable that you introduce represents.
Call the amoiunt Jenny can eat in one hr, x, the amount Penny can eat in one hour, y and the amount Lenny can eat in one hour = z.....so we have
1x +1 y + 1z = 1
2x + 2y = 1 → 2y = 1 - 2x → y = [1 -2x] / 2 (a)
(5/3)x + (5/3)z = 1 → (5/3)z = 1 - (5/3)x → z = (3/5) - x (b)
And substituting (a) and (b) into the first equation, we have
1x + [1 -2x] /2 + (3/5) - x = 1 simplify
{1 - 2x] / 2 + (3/5) = 1 subtract 3/5 from both sides
[1 - 2x] / 2 = 2/5 multiply both sides by 2
1 - 2x = 4/5
2x = 1 - 4/5
2x = 1/5 divide by 2 on both sides
x = 1/10 [of a gallon] this is the amount that Jenny eats in one hour
So...just invert this...and it takes Jenny 10 hrs. to eat one gallon by herself......she's a pretty slow eater!!!!
Call the amoiunt Jenny can eat in one hr, x, the amount Penny can eat in one hour, y and the amount Lenny can eat in one hour = z.....so we have
1x +1 y + 1z = 1
2x + 2y = 1 → 2y = 1 - 2x → y = [1 -2x] / 2 (a)
(5/3)x + (5/3)z = 1 → (5/3)z = 1 - (5/3)x → z = (3/5) - x (b)
And substituting (a) and (b) into the first equation, we have
1x + [1 -2x] /2 + (3/5) - x = 1 simplify
{1 - 2x] / 2 + (3/5) = 1 subtract 3/5 from both sides
[1 - 2x] / 2 = 2/5 multiply both sides by 2
1 - 2x = 4/5
2x = 1 - 4/5
2x = 1/5 divide by 2 on both sides
x = 1/10 [of a gallon] this is the amount that Jenny eats in one hour
So...just invert this...and it takes Jenny 10 hrs. to eat one gallon by herself......she's a pretty slow eater!!!!