Formula List

Rates
In these notes, we will study in detail about the questions involving rates of work, like if one
person can do a piece of work in, say, 10 hours and other person completes same job in 12
hours, how much time will they take to perform this job when working together and so on.
These questions can also be solved by straightforward procedure described below:
Definition:
Rate of working of any person is work done divided by time taken .i.e.
For example:
1) If Ali types 50 words in one minute, his rate = 50/1 words per minute = 50 words per
minute.
2) If Jawad eats 4 burgers in 2 days, his rate = 4/2 burgers per day = 2 burgers per day.
3) If work is NOT clearly specified, take work done = 1. For example, if we say that
Adnan completes a piece of job in 6 days, then his rate of work will be simply 1/6 (we
have simply taken work = 1).
Now we discuss the most important rule to solve these types of
questions:
Remember:
When two or more persons work together, their combined rate of working will
be simply equal to sum (+) of their individual rates.
Let us see the following basic example to see how such questions are solved.
Q:1
Q.1 Ajmal completes a work in 3 hours. Babar does the same job in 5 hours. In how
many minutes they together complete the work?
Solution:
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Step : 1 Rate of Ajmal = A =
A =
Step : 2 Rate of Babar = B =
B =
Step : 3 When Ajmal and Babar work together, their rates will be added: so,
Combined Rate = A + B
= +
=
Step : 4 The final part of the problem is to find the time taken by again using the
same formula:
So,
Convert this value into minutes by using 1 hour = 60 minutes, so our final answer is:
Time Taken = 15/8 x 60 minutes
=15/2 x 15 minutes
= 225/2 minutes = 112.5 minutes (ANSWER).

Important points: 1) As work is NOT specified, so have taken work done = 1 in all the three
cases.
2) In the question, it was required to find the time taken when both Ajmal and Babar work
together. So, the last step#4 is very important to perform. If you find combined rate by adding
the two rates and just mention the final answer to be 8/15 hours forgetting the last step
(which is actually the rate of two persons and NOT time taken), your answer will be wrong!!
Tips and Tricks (Plz read carefully):

1) Suppose Babar also completed the job in 3 hours (similar to Ajmal), then combined rate
would be 1/3 + 1/3 = 2/3, and time required = 3/2 hours = 90 minutes. But as Babar takes
longer than 3 hours (.i.e 5 hours), so our answer must be greater than 90 minutes.
2) Suppose Ajmal also completed the job in 5 hours (similar to Babar), then combined rate
would be 1/5 + 1/5 = 2/5, and time required = 5/2 hours = 150 minutes. But as Ajmal takes
lesser than 5 hours (.i.e 3 hours), so our answer must be smaller than 150 minutes.
3) In the paper, when four options will be given, you can sometimes simply guess the answer
by using the above two tricks and ruling out all the wrong options which are out of this range.
Q:2
Q.2 If A can write 100 words in 6 minutes and together A and B can do the same
work in 4 minutes. How many minutes will B take to do this job when working alone?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 12
Solution:
Step : 1 Rate of A = A =

A = =
Step : 2 When A and B work together, their rates will be added: so,
Combined Rate = A + B
= = 25 = A + B
So, A + B = 25
+ B = 25.
B = 25 -
Rate of B =
Step : 4 The final part of the problem is to find the time taken by B again using
the same formula:
So,
= 4 x 3 minutes
= 12 minutes. (ANSWER= D).

Tip: Suppose you don’t know how to solve this question. You can still make a very good
GUESS!. Look if B also completed the job in 6 minutes, (like A), then when working together,
total time would be simply half .i.e 6/2 = 3 minutes (just following the methodology of
previous example), but as time taken when working together is 4 minutes (>3), so B must take
more time than 6 minutes. Only two options are more than 6 minutes (either C or D). Just
make a good guess!
Q:3
Q.3 It takes 6 hours for pump A, used alone, to fill a tank of water. Pump B used
alone takes 8 hours to fill the same tank. We want to use three pumps: A, B and
another pump C to fill the tank in 2 hours. What should be the rate of pump C? How
long would it take pump C, used alone, to fill the tank?
Solution:
A =
Step : 2 Rate of B = B =
B =
Step : 3 When A, B and C work together, their rates will be added: so,
Combined Rate = A + B + C
= =A+B+C
So,
+ +C= .
C= - -
Rate of C = (ANSWER)
the same formula:
So,
= 4.8 hrs (ANSWER).
Q:4
Q.4 A can do a piece of work in 4 hours; B and C together can do it in 3 hours, while
A and C together can do it in 2 hours. How long will B alone take to do it?
A. 6
B. 8
C. 10
D. 12
E. 14
Solution:
A = ----(1)
Step : 2 Rate of B and C = B+C =

B+C = ----(2)
Step : 3 When A and C work together, their rates will be similarly added: so,
Rate of A and C = A + C
= = A + C-----(3)
So, we have to find the value of B from these given equations: put value of A into eq(3)
+C= .
C= - = .
Finally, put this value of C into equation (2).
B+C =
B+ =
Rate of B = - =
the same formula:
So,
= 12 hrs (ANSWER=D).

Q:5
Q.5 X and Y can do a piece of work in 20 days and 12 days respectively. X started the
work alone and then after 4 days Y joined him till the completion of the work. How
long did the total work last?
A. 6
B. 10
C. 15
D. 20
Solution:
Step : 1 Rate of X = X =
X =
Step : 2 Rate of Y = Y =
Y =
Step : 3 During Initial 4 days, X is working alone: so
work done during first 4 days = (rate of X) (time taken)
= x4= .
Total work = 1, so work left after first 4 days = 1 - = .

Total time will be sum of these 4 days and time taken to complete this remaining work
= 4/5. After 4 days, both X and Y work together, so combined rate = X + Y
X+Y= +

=
x
= 6 days.
This is time taken when both X and Y will work together , total time taken will be sum
of this time and initial time when X was working alone.
Total time = 4 days + 6 days = 10 days (ANSWER = B)
Q:6
Q.6 A, B and C can do a piece of work in 20, 30 and 60 days respectively. In how
many days can A do the work if he is assisted by B and C on every third day?
A. 10
B. 11
C. 12
D. 15
E. 18
Solution:
A =
Step : 2 Rate of B = B =
B =
Step : 3 Rate of C = C =
C =
Step : 4 A is assisted by B and C on every third day means that for first 2 days, A
works alone, then on 3rd day, All of A, B and C work. Then again A works alone for
day#4 and day#5 and all the three of A, B and C work on day#6. This process continues
till work is completed.
So, first two days, A is working alone, so work done in first 2 days = Rate of A x 2
= x2 = .
On third day, all of A, B and C are working, so work done on third day = (A+B+C) x 1
= + .
So, work done on first three days only = = .
This means that 1/5th portion (=20%) of work is done in 3 days. To complete the work
(total work = 1), how many days are needed? It is just a direct relation problem of ratios
(see ratios part II notes for detail),
= =

EXERCISES
Q.1 It takes 1.5 hours for Talha to mow the lawn. Jawaad can mow the same lawn in 2
hours. How many minutes will it take to Talha and Jawaad, working together, to mow the
lawn?
[HINT: T = 1/1.5 = 10/15 = 2/3, J = ½, combined rate = T + J = 7/6. So, time = 1/Rate = 6/7 hours
= 6/7x60 minutes = 51.4 minutes]
ANS=51.4 minutes.
Remember: To avoid calculation of decimal numbers, one way is to remove decimal

Point. For this, just write the number without decimal point and divide by number with
Zeros equal to number of digits AFTER decimal point. Then do cutting before
multiplication.e.g:
1/1.5 = (1x10)/(1.5x10) = 10/15 = 2/3
Q. 2 Rehan can do a work in 10 days and Sami can do it in 5 days. In how many days will
they together be able to finish that work?
A. 1.75
B. 2.5
C. 3.3
D. 6
[HINT: Using trick given after example:1, Answer<5, and answer>2.5. Only option satisfying this is C.
Other long way is R=1/10, S=1/5, R+S = 3/10, so time taken = 1/(3/10) = 10/3 = 3.33 days ]
ANS=C

Q. 3 A tank can be filled by pipe A in 5 hours and by pipe B in 8 hours, each pump working
on its own. When the tank is full and a drainage hole is open, the water is drained in 20
hours. If initially the tank was empty and someone started the two pumps together but left
the drainage hole open, how long does it take for the tank to be filled?
[HINT: Rate of A = A = 1/5, similarly, B=1/8, rate of drainage hole = C = -1/20 (as it removes the
water from tank while remaining two pipes A and B add water to it), total rate = A+B+C = 1/5+1/8-
1/20 = 11/40. So, time taken = 1/(11/40) = 40/11 hours = 3.6 hours]
ANS=3.6 hours.
Q. 4 A swimming pool can be filled by pipe A in 3 hours and by pipe B in 6 hours, each
pump working on its own. At 9 am pump A is started. At what time will the swimming pool
be filled if pump B is started at 10 am??
A. 11 am
B. 11:20 am
C. 11:40 am
D. 12 pm
[HINT: Rate of A = A =1/3, similarly, B=1/6. From 9am-10am (1 hour), only A is working, so pool filled
from 9am-10am = rate of A x 1 hour = 1/3x1 = 1/3. Amount of pool still left = 1-1/3 = 2/3. After
10AM, both pipes are on, so after 10am, total rate = A+B = 1/3+1/6 = 1/2. So time taken after 10 am
= work/rate = (2/3) / (1/2)= 2/3 x 2/1 = 4/3 hours. So, total time from 9am = 1+4/3 = 7/3 hours =
2.33 hours = 2 hours + 0.33 hours = 2 hours + 0.33x60 mins = 2hours + 20 minutes. So, final time =
11:20 ]
ANS=B
Q. 5 Three pipes A, B and C can fill a tank in 10, 12 and 15 minutes respectively. First A was
opened. After one minute B was opened and after two minutes from the start of A, C was
opened. Find the time in which the tank is just full?

A. 3 minutes
B. 3 minutes 52 seconds
C. 4 minutes 6 seconds
D. 4 minutes 52 seconds
E. 5 minutes 8 seconds
[HINT: Rate of A=1/10, B=1/12, C=1/15. In first minute, work done = rate of A x 1 minute = 1/10.
In next two minutes, both A and B are working, so rate for these two minutes = A+B = 11/60. So,
work done in these two minutes = 11/60 x 2 = 11/30. Total work done in first 3 minutes =
1/10+11/30=7/15. And remaining work after 3 minutes = 1-7/15 = 8/15. After 3 minutes, all pipes are
open, so rate after 3 minutes = A+B+C = 1/4. So, time taken after 3 minutes = work/rate =
(8/15)/(1/4) = 8x4/15 = 32/15 = 2.13 minutes. Total time = 3 + 2.13 = 5.13 minutes = 5 minute +
0.13 minutes = 5 minutes + 0.13x60 seconds = 5 minutes + 8 seconds]
ANS=E


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Rates

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

Tips and Tricks (Plz read carefully):

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

= 4.8 hrs (ANSWER).

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Total work = 1, so work left after first 4 days = 1 - = .

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Total time = 4 days + 6 days = 10 days (ANSWER = B)

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Remember: To avoid calculation of decimal numbers, one way is to remove decimal

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

In case of any confusions, please contact at:

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