Expert: Paul Klarreich - 1/18/2010

Question
If two house painters, working at the same rate, can paint one small house in one day, one house painter can paint the same size house in how many days, and likewise one house painter can paint how many houses of the same size in one day?

My non-mathematical solution:
Since there is one painter compared to two, I would think it would take twice as long, two days, for one painter to paint the same size house, and perhaps one half of the house in one day. But I am not sure.

How can I mathematically show that my answers are correct?  Can you think of a simple calculation?

I thank you for your reply.

Answer
Questioner: Kenneth
Country: United States
Category: Advanced Math
Private: No
Subject: Rates
Question: If two house painters, working at the same rate, can paint one small house in one day, one house painter can paint the same size house in how many days, and likewise one house painter can paint how many houses of the same size in one day?

My non-mathematical solution:
Since there is one painter compared to two, I would think it would take twice as long, two days, for one painter to paint the same size house, and perhaps one half of the house in one day. But I am not sure.

How can I mathematically show that my answers are correct?  Can you think of a simple calculation?

I thank you for your reply.
...................................
Your subject line says it all:  RATS!  I mean, RATES.

So it says: A painter paints 1/2 house per day. (BTW, can I have his number?  Mine can't do anything like that.  And if I hire two, they spend the whole day shmoozing about the football playoffs.)

The rest is silence.