2 men can complete the job in 24 days. If the faster one can alone complete the job 20 days faster than the second man, find the time taken by faster man to complete the work.

Answer 1

rate of slower worker --- 1/x
rate of faster worker ---- 1/(x+20)
combined rate = 1/x + 1/(x+20) = ((x+20) + x).(x(x+20) = (2x+20)/(x^2 + 20x)

1 / [(2x+20)/(x^2 + 20x)] = 24
(x^2 + 20x)/(2x+20) = 24
x^2 + 20x = 48x + 480
x^2 - 28x - 480 = 0
(x-40)(x + 12) = 0
x = 40 or x is a negative, which is no good

so the slower man can do it in 40 days,
the faster man can do it in 60 days

check"
combined rate = 1/40+1/60 = 1/24
time takes at combined rate = 1 / (1/24) = 24

Answer 2

"He ate his breakfast with relish, and this time nothing distracted his attention while he was eating. He gave 'Unce Bashir, who was waiting on him, such a beaming smile that the poor man felt rather alarmed and taken aback. Usually he would only look in his directions to give orders or ask questions, althought on most occasions he treated him fairly well."

What can you infer about the way the man usually eats breakfast on normal days?
A. He does not enjoy the taste of his food because he is busy worrying
B. He always enjoys his food because it is well-prepared
C. He usually skips breakfast
D. He does not like breakfast but eats it because Uncle Bashir teases him about it

Answer 3

A. He does not enjoy the taste of his food because he is busy worrying.

This can be inferred because the text states that on a normal day, his attention is distracted while he is eating. This suggests that he is preoccupied with something else and therefore not fully present in the moment to enjoy his food. In contrast, on this particular day, he ate his breakfast with relish and was able to fully enjoy it.