Multiple choice

Two pipes can fill a cistern in 30 and 15 h respectively. The pipes are opened simultaneously and it is found that due to leakage in the bottom 5 h extra are taken for cistern to be filled up. If the cistern in full in what time would the leak empty it ?

  1. 10 hours

  2. 20 hours

  3. 30 hours

  4. 40 hours

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Pipes fill at 1/30 + 1/15 = 1/10 per hour. With leak, rate is 1/10 - 1/L. Time taken is 10 + 5 = 15 hours. So 1/10 - 1/L = 1/15. 1/L = 1/10 - 1/15 = 1/30. L = 30 hours.

AI explanation

The rates of the two pipes are 1/30 and 1/15 per hour, giving a combined filling rate of 1/30 + 1/15 = 1/10 per hour. Without a leak, they would take 10 hours, but with the leak taking 5 extra hours, the combined rate with the leak is 1/15 per hour. The leak's rate is the difference between these totals, which is 1/10 - 1/15 = 1/30 per hour, meaning the leak would empty the cistern in 30 hours. The result is 30 hours.