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Together, Raquel and Miray can spread the mulch through the yard in 2 hours. Raquel would take 0.8 times as many hours as Miray would take to spread the mulch alone.
How long would it take Miray to spread the mulch alone?
hours

Together, Raquel and Miray can spread the mulch through the yard in 22 hours. Raquel would take 00.88 times as many hours as Miray would take to spread the mulch alone.\newlineHow long would it take Miray to spread the mulch alone?\newlinehours

Full solution

Q. Together, Raquel and Miray can spread the mulch through the yard in 22 hours. Raquel would take 00.88 times as many hours as Miray would take to spread the mulch alone.\newlineHow long would it take Miray to spread the mulch alone?\newlinehours
  1. Denote Time for Miray: Let's denote the time it takes for Miray to spread the mulch alone as MM hours. According to the problem, Raquel would take 0.80.8 times as many hours as Miray to do the same job alone. Therefore, the time it takes for Raquel to spread the mulch alone is 0.8M0.8M hours.
  2. Time for Raquel: Since Raquel and Miray can spread the mulch together in 22 hours, we can use the formula for work done together: (1/M)+(1/(0.8M))=1/2(1/M) + (1/(0.8M)) = 1/2, where (1/M)(1/M) is the part of the work Miray does in one hour and (1/(0.8M))(1/(0.8M)) is the part of the work Raquel does in one hour. The right side of the equation represents the part of the work they complete together in one hour.
  3. Work Done Together: Now we need to solve the equation for MM. Let's find a common denominator for the fractions on the left side of the equation: (1/M)+(1/(0.8M))=1/2(1/M) + (1/(0.8M)) = 1/2. The common denominator for MM and 0.8M0.8M is 0.8M0.8M. We rewrite the equation as (0.8/0.8M)+(1/0.8M)=1/2(0.8/0.8M) + (1/0.8M) = 1/2.
  4. Solve for M: Simplify the fractions on the left side of the equation: (0.8+1)/0.8M=1/2(0.8 + 1) / 0.8M = 1/2. This simplifies to (1.8)/0.8M=1/2(1.8) / 0.8M = 1/2.
  5. Cross-Multiply: To solve for MM, we cross-multiply: 1.8×2=0.8M×11.8 \times 2 = 0.8M \times 1. This gives us 3.6=0.8M3.6 = 0.8M.
  6. Divide to Solve for M: Now, we divide both sides of the equation by 0.80.8 to solve for MM: M=3.60.8M = \frac{3.6}{0.8}. This gives us M=4.5M = 4.5.

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