Three decorators, A, B, and C, can complete a mural individually in 5 days, 16 days, and 20 days, respectively. They work together for 2 days. After that, A leaves, while B and C continue for only of their usual daily working time. How many additional days will they need to complete the mural?
Correct Answer :
days
Solution :
The correct option is days.
Step 1: Determine the individual daily work rates of each decorator.
Let the total work required to complete the mural be equal to 1 unit.
Decorator A can complete the mural in 5 days, so A's work done per day is:
Decorator B can complete the mural in 16 days, so B's work done per day is:
Decorator C can complete the mural in 20 days, so C's work done per day is:
Step 2: Calculate the work completed when all three work together for 2 days.
The combined daily work rate of A, B, and C working together is:
To add these fractions, we find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the denominators (5, 16, and 20), which is 80:
So, working together, they complete of the total mural per day.
In 2 days, the work completed by A, B, and C together is:
Step 3: Calculate the remaining work.
Subtract the work completed in the first 2 days from the total work:
Thus, of the mural remains to be completed.
Step 4: Determine the new working rates for B and C.
After 2 days, A leaves. B and C continue working, but only for of their usual daily working time. This reduces their daily rate by half:
New daily rate of B =
New daily rate of C =
The combined new daily rate of B and C is:
The LCM of 32 and 40 is 160:
Step 5: Calculate the additional days required to finish the remaining work.
Let be the number of additional days needed.
Solving for :
Therefore, B and C will need an additional days to complete the mural.
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