Time & Work
1. Basic Work Rate (Hard)
A can complete a work in 12 days and B can complete the same work in 18 days.
They start working together but after some days B leaves and A finishes the remaining work
alone in 4 days.
For how many days did A and B work together?
2. Combined Work (Hard)
A, B and C can complete a work in 12, 15 and 20 days respectively.
They start working together but C leaves 3 days before the completion of the work and B
leaves 2 days before completion.
In how many days is the work finished?
3. Partial Work (Leaving Worker)
A and B can complete a work in 18 days and 24 days respectively.
They begin working together but after 6 days A leaves.
The remaining work is completed by B and C in 6 days.
In how many days can C alone complete the work?1.
4. Efficiency Based
A is 50% more efficient than B and B is 40% less efficient than C.
If A and C together finish a work in 12 days, how many days will B alone take?
5. Efficiency Ratio
The efficiencies of A, B and C are in the ratio 3 : 4 : 6.
A and B together work for 4 days and then leave.
C alone finishes the remaining work in 6 days.
Find the total work time if all three had worked together.
6. Men – Boys Type
4 men or 6 women can complete a work in 16 days.
8 men and 6 women start the work.
After 4 days, 4 men leave.
In how many total days will the work be completed?
7. Work and Wages
A, B and C together complete a work and receive ₹960.
A works for 6 days, B for 8 days and C for 12 days.
If their efficiencies are in the ratio 3 : 4 : 6, find C's share.
8. Pipes and Cisterns
Pipe A can fill a tank in 10 hours, Pipe B in 12 hours and Pipe C can empty it in 15 hours.
All three are opened together but C is closed after 4 hours.
How much more time is required to fill the tank?
9. Alternate Working
A can complete a work in 12 days and B in 15 days.
A works on odd days and B works on even days, starting with A.
In how many days will the work be completed?
10. Work and Rest
A can complete a work in 16 days but he rests every 4th day.
In how many days will he complete the work?
11. Destructive Worker
A can build a wall in 12 days and B can destroy it in 18 days.
They start working together but B leaves after 4 days.
How long will A take to finish the remaining work?
12. Variable Workforce (Very Hard)
12 workers can complete a work in 15 days.
After every 3 days, 3 more workers join the work.
In how many days will the work be completed?
Solution
1. Basic Work Rate
A = 12 days → rate = 1/12
B = 18 days → rate = 1/18
Together rate
1 1
+
12 18
LCM = 36
3+2 5
=
36 36
Let they worked x days together
Work done together
5x
36
Remaining work done by A in 4 days
1 4 1
4× = =
12 12 3
Total work =1
5x 1 1 12 5 x 24
+ =1 = = 5 x=24 x=4.8
36 3 3 36 36 36
✅ Answer = 4.8 days
2. Combined Work
Rates
A = 1/12
B = 1/15
C = 1/20
LCM = 60
A=5
B=4
C=3
Let total time = T
C leaves 3 days before completion
B leaves 2 days before completion
Work periods
ABC → T−3
AB → 1 day
A → 2 days
Work equation
(T −3)(5+ 4+3)+1(5+ 4)+2(5)=60(T −3)(12)+ 9+10=6012 T −36+19=6012 T =77
T ≈ 6.42
✅ Answer ≈ 6.42 days
3. Partial Work
A = 18 days → 1/18
B = 24 days → 1/24
LCM = 72
A=4
B=3
AB rate = 7
Work in 6 days
6 ×7=42
Remaining
72−42=30
Remaining done by B+C in 6 days
30/6=5
B=3
So
C=2
C time
72/2=36
✅ Answer = 36 days
4. Efficiency Based
A = 50% more efficient than B
A=1.5 B
B is 40% less efficient than C
B=0.6 C
Let C =10
Then
B =6
A =9
A+C rate
9+10=19
They finish in 12 days
Total work
19 ×12=228
B time
228 /6=38
✅ Answer = 38 days
5. Efficiency Ratio
A:B:C
3:4:6
Total rate =13
Work done by A+B for 4 days
7 × 4=28
Remaining work done by C
6 days ×6
¿ 36
Total work
28+36=64
If all together
64 /13≈ 4.92
✅ Answer ≈ 4.92 days
6. Men Women
4 men = 6 women
Divide by 2
2 men =3 women
1 man =1.5 women
Convert women → men
6 women =4 men
So
8 men + 6 women
=8 +4
=12 men
4 men leave → 8 men
Let total work
16 days ×4 men =64 units
Work first 4 days
12×4=48
Remaining
64−48=16
Time
16 /8=2
Total
4 +2=6
✅ Answer = 6 days
7. Work Wages
Efficiency ratio
3:4:6
Work done
6 ×3=18
8 × 4=32
12 ×6=72
Ratio
18 :32: 72
Simplify
9 :16 :36
Total parts
61
C share
36 /61 × 960≈ 566.56
✅ Answer ≈ ₹567
8. Pipes
A =1/10
B =1/12
C =−1/15
LCM =60
A =6
B =5
C =−4
Net rate
Work in 4 hours
7 × 4=28
Remaining
60−28=32
Now A+B
6+5=11
Time
32/11≈ 2.91
✅ Answer ≈ 2.9 hours
9. Alternate Working
A rate =1/12
B rate =1/15
2-day work
1/12+1/15
LCM =60
5+ 4=9/60¿ 3/20
Work in 10 days (5 cycles)
5 ×3 /20=15/20
Remaining
5/20
Day 11 (A)
1/12 ≈1.67 /20
Remaining
3.33/20
Day 12 (B)
1/15 ≈ 1.33/20
Remaining
2/20
Day 13 (A)
Work finished.
✅ Answer = 13 days
10. Work Rest
A rate =1/16
Works 3 days then rest 1
Work in 3 days
3/16
Remaining
13/16
Each 4-day cycle
3/16
Cycles needed
13/16 ÷ 3/16¿ 4.33
Days
4 × 4=16
Plus remaining work
≈2 days
Total
≈18
✅ Answer ≈ 18 days
11. Destructive Worker
A =1/12
B =−1/18
LCM =36
A =3
B =−2
Net
Work in 4 days
Remaining
36−4=32
A alone
32/3≈ 10.67
Total
14.67
✅ Answer ≈ 14.7 days
12. Variable Workforce (Hard)
12 workers → 15 days
Total work
12 ×15=180
First 3 days
12 ×3=36
Next 3 days
15 workers
15 ×3=45
Total
81
Next 3 days
18 workers
18 ×3=54
Total
135
Remaining
45
Workers now =21
Time
45 /21≈ 2.14
Total time
9+2.14≈ 11.14
✅ Answer ≈ 11.14 days