Two taps A and B fill a swimming pool together in two hours. Alone, it takes tap A three hours less than B to fill the same pool. How many hours does it take each tap to fill the pool separately?

Verified Answer :


a=b-3

2/)b-3)+2/b=1

a=3 hours

b=6 hours

Let's call \(a\) the number of hours it takes for A to fill the pool and \(b\) the number of hours it takes for B to fill the pool.

We have \(a=b-3\) and \(\frac{2}a+\frac{2}b=1\) hence \(\frac{2}{b-3}+\frac{2}b=1\Leftrightarrow b^2-7b+6=0\Leftrightarrow b=6\text{ or }b=-1\) hence \(b=6\) and thus \(a=3\).

\(\boxed{b=6,a=3}\)