How long does it take a puppy and a kitten …

Mathematics Questions

How long does it take a puppy and a kitten to eat a sausage alone, given that the puppy eats a sausage 5 seconds faster than the kitten and they can eat one sausage together in 6 seconds?

Short Answer

The relationship between work and time indicates that as one increases, the other decreases. By establishing two equations for the eating rates of a puppy and a kitten, the solutions reveal that the kitten takes 15 seconds and the puppy takes 10 seconds to eat a sausage, demonstrating their efficient combined rates.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Understand the Relationship Between Work and Time

The concept of work and time is based on the principle that the amount of work done is inversely proportional to the time taken to complete it. This means as you increase one, the other decreases. For instance, if multiple entities are working together, their combined rate can be derived from the individual rates.

Step 2: Set Up the Equations

In this scenario, we have two animals: a puppy and a kitten. We let x be the time it takes the puppy to eat a sausage and y for the kitten. Based on their eating rates, we can establish two equations:

  • ( frac{1}{x} + frac{1}{y} = frac{1}{6} )
  • ( frac{1}{x} – frac{1}{y} = frac{1}{5} )
These equations represent the combined work done in consuming one sausage in 6 seconds and the time difference of 5 seconds between both animals.

Step 3: Solve the Equations

To find the time it takes for each animal to eat a sausage, substitute one equation into the other. Begin with the second equation to express x in terms of y, then plug this back into the first equation. After simplifying, you will find that the kitten takes 15 seconds and the puppy takes 10 seconds. Therefore, their consumption rates effectively allow them to work together more efficiently.

Related Concepts

Work And Time

The principle that the amount of work done is inversely proportional to the time taken to complete it

Equations

Mathematical representations that describe relationships between different variables or quantities

Consumption Rates

The speed at which entities complete a task, in this case, how quickly the puppy and kitten eat a sausage.

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