Skip to main contentSkip to solution

A person can complete a job in 120120 days. He works alone on Day 11. On Day 22, he is joined by another person who also can complete the job in exactly 120120 days. On Day 33, they are joined by another person of equal efficiency. Like this, everyday a new person with the same efficiency joins the work. How many days are required to complete the job?

Entered answer:

Solution

✅ Correct Answer: 15

Let us start by understanding what's happening here. We have a person who can complete a job in 120 days. This means his work rate is 1120\frac{1}{120} of the job per day.

Day 1: 1 person works

Day 2: 2 people work (original + 1 new)

Day 3: 3 people work (original + 2 new)

And so on...

Since all workers have the same efficiency, each person completes 1120\frac{1}{120} of the job per day.


Key Insight: The total work done must equal 1 complete job.

Let us say the job gets completed in n days. Here is the work done each day:

Day 1: 1 person × (1120)\left(\frac{1}{120}\right) = 1120\frac{1}{120} of the job

Day 2: 2 people × (1120)\left(\frac{1}{120}\right) = 2120\frac{2}{120} of the job

Day 3: 3 people × (1120)\left(\frac{1}{120}\right) = 3120\frac{3}{120} of the job

...

Day n: n people × (1120)\left(\frac{1}{120}\right) = n120\frac{n}{120} of the job


Total work done = Sum of all daily work

1120+2120+3120+...+n120=1\frac{1}{120} + \frac{2}{120} + \frac{3}{120} + ... + \frac{n}{120} = 1

Factor out 1120\frac{1}{120}:

1120(1+2+3+...+n)=1\frac{1}{120}(1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n) = 1

The sum of first n natural numbers is n(n+1)2\frac{n(n+1)}{2}

So: 1+2+3+...+n=n(n+1)21 + 2 + 3 + ... + n = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}


1120×n(n+1)2=1\frac{1}{120} \times \frac{n(n+1)}{2} = 1

n(n+1)240=1\frac{n(n+1)}{240} = 1

n(n+1)=240n(n+1) = 240

n2+n−240=0n^2 + n - 240 = 0


We need to find two numbers that multiply to give -240 and add to give +1.

What two numbers multiply to 240? Let us try 15 and 16:

15 × 16 = 240

Since we need +1 as the coefficient of n, we need: +16 and -15

(n+16)(n−15)=0(n + 16)(n - 15) = 0

This gives us: n = -16 or n = 15

Since the number of days must be positive, n = 15.


Therefore, it takes 15 days to complete the job.

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Left arrow: Previous question
  • Right arrow: Next question
  • S key: Jump to solution
  • Q key: Jump to question