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Question

P can finish a work in 18 days. When he had worked for 5 days, Q joined him. If both of them together completed the remaining work in \(\frac{13}{5} \) days, then in how many days can Q alone finish  \(66\frac{2}{3} \) % of the same work?

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2020 Tier-II (English) Previous Year Paper (29-Jan-2022)
The correct answer is

3

Understanding the Work and Time Problem

This problem involves concepts of work and time, specifically how individuals (P and Q) complete a task alone and when working together. We are given the time P takes to complete the entire work, the duration P works alone, the time P and Q work together on the remaining part, and we need to find the time Q takes to complete a specific percentage of the work alone.

Calculating P's Work Contribution

P can finish the entire work in 18 days. This means P's daily work rate is \( \frac{1}{18} \) of the total work per day.

P worked alone for 5 days. The amount of work completed by P in these 5 days is:

Work done by P in 5 days = Work rate of P \(\times\) Number of days worked

Work done by P in 5 days = \( \frac{1}{18} \times 5 = \frac{5}{18} \) of the total work.

Determining the Remaining Work

After P worked for 5 days, the amount of work remaining is the total work minus the work done by P:

Remaining Work = Total Work - Work done by P

Remaining Work = \( 1 - \frac{5}{18} = \frac{18 - 5}{18} = \frac{13}{18} \) of the total work.

Calculating the Combined Work Rate of P and Q

The remaining \( \frac{13}{18} \) of the work was completed by both P and Q working together in \( \frac{13}{5} \) days.

Their combined daily work rate is the remaining work divided by the time taken to complete it:

Combined Work Rate of P and Q = \( \frac{\text{Remaining Work}}{\text{Time taken by P and Q together}} \)

Combined Work Rate of P and Q = \( \frac{\frac{13}{18}}{\frac{13}{5}} = \frac{13}{18} \times \frac{5}{13} = \frac{5}{18} \) of the total work per day.

Finding Q's Individual Work Rate

We know P's daily work rate is \( \frac{1}{18} \) and the combined daily work rate of P and Q is \( \frac{5}{18} \).

Q's daily work rate can be found by subtracting P's work rate from the combined work rate:

Q's Work Rate = Combined Work Rate of P and Q - P's Work Rate

Q's Work Rate = \( \frac{5}{18} - \frac{1}{18} = \frac{5-1}{18} = \frac{4}{18} = \frac{2}{9} \) of the total work per day.

Calculating Time for Q to Complete 66\( \frac{2}{3} \) % of the Work

First, let's convert the percentage to a fraction:

\( 66\frac{2}{3} \% = \frac{(66 \times 3) + 2}{3} \% = \frac{198 + 2}{3} \% = \frac{200}{3} \% \)

To convert percentage to fraction, divide by 100: \( \frac{200}{3} \times \frac{1}{100} = \frac{200}{300} = \frac{2}{3} \).

So, we need to find the time Q takes to finish \( \frac{2}{3} \) of the same work.

Q's daily work rate is \( \frac{2}{9} \) of the work. This means Q takes \( \frac{1}{2/9} = \frac{9}{2} \) days to complete the entire work (100%).

The time Q takes to complete \( \frac{2}{3} \) of the work is:

Time taken by Q = \( \frac{\text{Fraction of work to be done}}{\text{Q's daily work rate}} \)

Time taken by Q = \( \frac{\frac{2}{3}}{\frac{2}{9}} = \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{9}{2} = \frac{18}{6} = 3 \) days.

Therefore, Q alone can finish \( 66\frac{2}{3} \) % of the same work in 3 days.

Entity Information
P's total time 18 days
P's daily rate \( \frac{1}{18} \) work/day
P works alone 5 days
Work done by P \( 5 \times \frac{1}{18} = \frac{5}{18} \)
Remaining work \( 1 - \frac{5}{18} = \frac{13}{18} \)
Time P & Q together \( \frac{13}{5} \) days
Combined rate (P+Q) \( \frac{13/18}{13/5} = \frac{5}{18} \) work/day
Q's daily rate \( \frac{5}{18} - \frac{1}{18} = \frac{4}{18} = \frac{2}{9} \) work/day
Percentage for Q \( 66\frac{2}{3} \% = \frac{2}{3} \)
Time for Q (2/3 work) \( \frac{2/3}{2/9} = \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{9}{2} = 3 \) days

The final answer is 3 days.

Revision Table: Work and Time Concepts

Concept Formula/Explanation
Work Rate If a person completes a work in 'n' days, their daily work rate is \( \frac{1}{n} \) of the work per day.
Work Done Work Done = Work Rate \(\times\) Time
Time Taken Time Taken = \( \frac{\text{Total Work}}{\text{Work Rate}} \). If doing a fraction of work, Time = \( \frac{\text{Fraction of Work}}{\text{Work Rate}} \).
Combined Work Rate If A's rate is \(R_A\) and B's rate is \(R_B\), their combined rate is \(R_A + R_B\).
Remaining Work Remaining Work = Total Work - Work Done

Additional Information on Work and Time Problems

Work and Time problems are common in quantitative aptitude sections of various exams. They typically involve individuals or machines working at different rates to complete a task. The key is to convert the time taken to complete the whole work into a work rate (fraction of work done per unit time, usually a day).

  • If a person completes work in 'D' days, they do \( \frac{1}{D} \) of the work each day.
  • If multiple people work together, their individual work rates are added to find the combined work rate.
  • If someone leaves or joins, calculate the work done by each person or group during their specific time period.
  • Percentage of work can be converted into fractions for easier calculation. \(x\%\) of work is \( \frac{x}{100} \) of the work.
  • Always ensure that the units (days, hours, etc.) are consistent throughout the calculation.

Understanding these fundamental principles helps in solving various complex Work and Time scenarios effectively.

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Similar Questions

  1. Five men and 2 boys can do in 30 days as much work as 7 men and 10 boys can do in 15 days. How many boys should join 40 men to do the same work in 4 days?

  2. To do a certain work, A and B work on alternate days with B beginning the work on the first day. A alone can complete the same work in 24 days. If the work gets completed in  \(11 \frac{1}{3}\)  days, then B alone can complete  \(\rm \frac{7}{9}^{th}\)  part of the original work in:

  3. 15 men and 25 women can complete a piece of work in 9.6 days. If 16 women can complete the same work in 27 days, find the number of days in which 16 men can complete the same work.  

  4. R, S and T can finish a work in 20, 15 and 10 days, respectively. R works on all days and S and T work on alternate days with T starting the work on the first day. In how many days is the work finished?

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  6. A group of college students had decided to complete a project in 10 days. As 2 students dropped out every day, the project got completed at the end of the 15th day. The number of students at the beginning of the project was:

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Important Questions from Work Efficiency

  1. Five men and 2 boys can do in 30 days as much work as 7 men and 10 boys can do in 15 days. How many boys should join 40 men to do the same work in 4 days?

  2. A man completes 7/8 of a job in 21 days. How many more days will it take him to finish the job if quantum of work further increased by 50%?

  3. 24 men and 12 women can do a piece of work in 30 days. In how many days can 12 men and 24 women do the same piece of work?

  4. A and B together can do a piece of work in 4 days, B and C can do it in 6 days, A and C can do it in 8 days. Then A, B and C together can do the same work in :-

  5. A can complete 50% of a work in 9 days and B can do 25% of the work in 9 days, if they work alone. If they work together then how much work (in percentage) can be completed in 6 days?

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