Example 3: Three small pumps and one large pump are filling a tank. E...
Problem Statement:
Three small pumps and one large pump are filling a tank. Each of the three small pumps works at 2/3 of the rate of the large pump. If all four pumps work at the same time, they should fill the tank in what fraction of the time that it would have taken the large pump alone?
Solution:
To solve this problem, we need to determine the combined rate at which all four pumps can fill the tank when they work together.
Rate of the Large Pump:
Let's assume the rate of the large pump is 1 unit per hour. This means that the large pump can fill the entire tank in 1 hour.
Rate of Small Pumps:
Each of the three small pumps works at 2/3 of the rate of the large pump. Therefore, each small pump works at a rate of (2/3) units per hour.
Combined Rate of all Pumps:
When all four pumps work together, the combined rate is the sum of their individual rates. So, the combined rate is:
1 (rate of large pump) + 2/3 + 2/3 + 2/3 = 1 + 2 + 2 + 2/3 = 5 2/3 units per hour.
Fraction of Time taken:
To find the fraction of the time it would have taken the large pump alone, we need to divide the rate of the large pump by the combined rate of all pumps.
Fraction of time = (Rate of large pump) / (Combined rate of all pumps)
= 1 / (5 2/3)
= 1 / (17/3)
= 1 * (3/17)
= 3/17
Therefore, when all four pumps work together, they can fill the tank in 3/17 of the time it would have taken the large pump alone.