Curry’s Dishwashing Time: How Long Will It Take Curry to Wash the Dishes Alone?

When it comes to washing dishes, everyone has their own pace. Some people, like Paddington, can wash dishes in a minute, while others, like Mr. Brown, can do the same job in just 20 seconds. But what about Curry? If he helps Paddington and Mr. Brown, they can finish the job in 40 seconds. But how long would it take Curry to wash the dishes alone? This question might seem simple, but it actually involves a bit of mathematical reasoning. Let’s dive in and find out.

Understanding the Problem

First, let’s understand the problem. We know that Paddington can wash the dishes in 1 minute (or 60 seconds), Mr. Brown can do it in 20 seconds, and together with Curry, they can do it in 40 seconds. We need to find out how long it would take Curry to do the job alone.

Applying the Concept of Rates

To solve this problem, we need to apply the concept of rates. A rate is a ratio that compares two quantities of different kinds. In this case, we’re comparing the time it takes to wash dishes. We can express the rate of each person as the amount of work they can do per second. For example, Paddington’s rate is 1/60, Mr. Brown’s rate is 1/20, and the combined rate of Paddington, Mr. Brown, and Curry is 1/40.

Calculating Curry’s Rate

Now, we can calculate Curry’s rate. Since the combined rate is the sum of the individual rates, we can write the equation 1/40 = 1/60 + 1/20 + Curry’s rate. Solving this equation for Curry’s rate gives us 1/120. This means that Curry can wash the dishes in 120 seconds, or 2 minutes.

Conclusion

So, it would take Curry 2 minutes to wash the dishes alone. This problem shows how rates can be used to solve real-world problems. It also highlights the importance of teamwork. Even though Curry is slower than Paddington and Mr. Brown, they can wash the dishes faster when they work together.

Further Questions

This problem might lead to further questions. For example, how would the time change if there were more dishes? Or what if another person joined the team? These questions can be answered using the same concept of rates. So, the next time you’re washing dishes, remember that it’s not just a chore, it’s also a chance to apply math!