Question

Shawn and Ellie are construction workers. Shawn can complete a concrete job in 4 hours, while Ellie can complete it in 6 hours. The foreman says that it will take them 5 hours to complete it if they work together. Explain each step in solving this equation, and determine if the foreman is correct or not.

Answer 1

So far I got...

Shawn: 1/4
Ellie: 1/6
1/4 + 1/6 = 1/x

Answer 2

Shawn: 1/4 Ellie: 1/6 1/4 + 1/6 = 1/x

that part is good so far, so now you want to eliminate the fractions with I'd say 12x.

3x+2x=12

now that's simply 5x=12

which is 2.4 hours

the foreman is wrong