A tap can fill a tank in 36 minutes and another can empty it in 18 minutes. If the tank is already ½ full and both the taps are opened together, will the tank be filled or emptied? How long will it take before the tank is either filled completely or emptied completely, as the case may be?
Let the two taps be tap 1 and tap 2 respectively.
Part of tank filled by tap 1 in one minute = 1/36
Part of tank emptied by tap 2 in one minute = 1/18
Part of tank filled by tap 1 and tap 2 in one minute = (1/36) – (1/18) = - 1/36
Since the above value is negative, the tank would be emptied.
Time taken to empty the filled tank = 1/(1/36) = 36 min
Time taken to empty half the tank = 36/2 = 18 min