Math Problem Statement

If 4 bricklayers can build a wall in 10 days, how long will it take for 5 bricklayers to build the same wall

Solution

To solve this problem, we can use the concept of "man-days," which helps us calculate the total amount of work done by the bricklayers.

Step 1: Determine the total number of bricklayer-days needed to build the wall.

Since 4 bricklayers can complete the job in 10 days, the total amount of work in terms of bricklayer-days is: Total bricklayer-days=4 bricklayers×10 days=40 bricklayer-days\text{Total bricklayer-days} = 4 \text{ bricklayers} \times 10 \text{ days} = 40 \text{ bricklayer-days}

Step 2: Calculate how many days it would take for 5 bricklayers to do the same amount of work.

If 5 bricklayers are working, we can divide the total number of bricklayer-days by 5: Number of days for 5 bricklayers=40 bricklayer-days5 bricklayers=8 days\text{Number of days for 5 bricklayers} = \frac{40 \text{ bricklayer-days}}{5 \text{ bricklayers}} = 8 \text{ days}

Final Answer:

It will take 5 bricklayers 8 days to build the same wall.

Would you like a further explanation or have any questions about this? Here are some related questions you might find interesting:

  1. How do you calculate the total amount of work in man-hours instead of man-days?
  2. What happens to the time taken if we increase the number of bricklayers to 6?
  3. How can we determine the number of bricklayers required to finish a job in 5 days?
  4. What if the wall requires twice as much work—how would the number of days change with 5 bricklayers?
  5. How can you apply this kind of problem-solving to more complex team-based tasks?

Tip: Always use proportional reasoning when dealing with tasks that scale with the number of workers or the time taken to complete them!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Proportions
Work and Time
Man-Days

Formulas

Total bricklayer-days = number of bricklayers × number of days
Number of days = total bricklayer-days ÷ number of bricklayers

Theorems

Work and Time Theorem (Inverse Proportionality)

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 7-9