Time and Work is an important topic in banking and other competitive exams.

These include IBPS Clerk,

SBI Clerk, SSC CGL, IBPS PO, SBI PO, CAT and other exams. This article is a part of Shortcut
Techniques series. This shorcut method to solve Time and Work problems quickly will help save at least 1
minute per problem. Once you are done with this article

Read this All-in-One Guide to Crack all Time &

Work Problems
Fraction Conversion
Try to directly remember fraction conversation into percentage. This trick is more effective that way. Here
is a table for the same.
Number of days required to
complete the work

Work that can be done per day

Efficiency in Percent

1/n

(100/n)%

1/1

100%

1/2

50%

1/3

33.33%

1/4

25%

1/5

20%

1/6

16.66%

1/7

14.28%

1/8

12.5%

1/9

11.11%

10

1/10

10%

11

1/11

9.09%

For example, let us suppose that A can do a job in 10 days.

1st method: Fraction Technique
A = 10 days i.e so work done in a day is 1/10th.
2nd Method: Efficiency Technique
Work done by a person in unit time is defined as efficiency in Time and Work Problems
A = 10 days so efficiency of A per day = 100/10 = 10%

Understanding Time and Work through

Examples
Now we will go through some examples to understand this trick closely.
Q1. Anil can do a job in 10 days. Babu can do the same job in 5 days. In how many days they can complete
the job if they work together?
1.

6 days

2. 3.33 days
3. 7.25 days

4. 7.5 days
5.

None of these

Ans: 3.33 days

Solution:
Anil can do a job in 10 days,
So efficiency of Anil = 100/10 = 10%
Similarly, Babus efficiency = 100/5 = 20%
Combined efficiency of Anil + Babu per day becomes = 20 + 10 = 30%
Now, we have to find out the number of days taken by both Anil and Babu to do 100% work,
Since they can do 30% wok in 1 day,
So, they will 100% work in 100/30 = 3.33 days
NOTE: Efficiencies get added directly!

Q2. Anil and Babu can do a job in 8 days. Babu and Charan can do the same job in 12 days. Anil, Babu
and Charan can do the job in 6 days. In how many days Anil and Charan can complete the job?
1.

6 days

2. 8 days
3. 10 days
4. 12 days
5.

None of these

Ans: 8 days
Solution:

Anil and Babu can do a job in 8 days

Combined efficiency of Anil + Babu = 100/8 = 12.5% (1)
Similarly, combined efficiency of Babu + Charan = 100/12 = 8.33%..(2)
Similarly, combined efficiency of Anil + Babu + Charan = 100/6 = 16.66%..(3)
So now, if we want to calculate the efficiency of Anil and Charan together, we need to first calculate the
individual efficiency of Anil and Charan.
So we first deduct equation 1 from equation 3 to get efficiency of Charan. Then we deduct equation 2 from
equation 3 we will get efficiency of Anil.
Lets calculate the efficiency of Charan = (Anil + Babu + Charan) (Anil + Babu) = 16.66 12.5 = 4.16%
In the same way, we calculate the efficiency of Anil = 16.66 8.33 = 8.33%
So, combined efficiency of Anil and Charan = 8.33% + 4.16% 12.5%
They need = 100/12.5 = 8 days
So they can complete the job in 8 days.

NOTE: This method looks long but only because it has been solved with all steps. When you
attempt time and work questions in the exam paper, try to solve it directly using this
technique, noting down only the figures, while performing all calculations (especially
fractions) mentally. You simply need to get into the habit of using this shortcut method for
time and work, as it is easier to solve mentally. This will save you precious time during the
exam.
To repeat, this trick teaches us not to get involved in fractions. Solving fractions takes a lot
of time and also there are chances of mistakes.

Now Try It Yourself

Que. 1
Ashu and Babu together can complete a task in 20 days. Babu and Charu together can complete the same
task in 30 days. Ashu and Charu together can complete the same task in 30 days. What is the respective
ratio of the number of days taken by Ashu when completing the same task alone to the number of days
taken by Charu when completing the same task alone?
1.
2:3
2.
3:2
3.
1:3
4.
3:1
5.
None of these