

A Brief Explanation of Work Done Problems
Work problems typically occur when two people are painting a house together. You are typically asked how long it takes each individual to paint a house of a comparable size and how long it will take the two of them to paint the house when they collaborate. So, here the concept of work done will be used. In this article, we will learn how we can solve the work done problems.
Work Done Related Important Formula
In time and work, we will learn to calculate and determine the number of hours needed to complete a task as well as the amount of work completed in a specific period of time. We are aware that a person's productivity is closely correlated with the time it takes him to do a task.
For Example: Suppose Shyam can finish a work in 7 days.
Then, work done by Shyam in 1 day $=\dfrac{1}{7}$
Rules:
Suppose if a person A can finish a work in $\mathrm{n}$ days.
Then, work done by $A$ in 1 day $=1 / n^{\text {th }}$ part of the work.
Suppose that the work done by $\mathrm{A}$ in 1 day is $\dfrac{1}{n}$
Then, time taken by $\mathrm{A}$ to finish the whole work $=\mathrm{n}$ days.
Solved Problems on Work Done
Here are some solved problems on work done, through which it can be understood in a better way:
Q1. Piyush and Rahul together can complete a work in 18 days. Piyush alone can do the same work in 24 days. What will be the number of days Rahul alone can complete the whole work?
Ans: Piyush and Rahul can complete the work in 18 days
Piyush alone can complete the work in 24 days
Taking the L.C.M of 18 and 24
L.C.M of 18 and 24 is 72
$\Rightarrow$ One day work of Piyush and Rahul $=\dfrac{72}{18}=4$
$\Rightarrow$ One day work of Piyush $=\dfrac{72}{24}=3$
$\Rightarrow$ One day work of Rahul $=4-3=1$
$\Rightarrow$ Number of days Rahul alone takes to complete the work $=\dfrac{72}{1}=72$
$\therefore$ The number of days Rahul takes to complete the whole work is 72.
Q2. A and $B$ together can do a piece of work in 15 days, while $B$ alone can finish it in 20 days. In how many days can $A$ alone finish the work?
Ans: Time taken by $(A+B)$ to finish the work $=15$ days.
Time taken by B alone to finish the work is 20 days.
$(A+B)$ 's 1 day's work $=\dfrac{1}{15}$
and $B^{\prime}$ s 1 day's work $=\dfrac{1}{20}$
A's 1 day's work $=\left\{(A+B)^{\prime}\right.$ s 1 day's work $\}-\left\{B^{\prime}\right.$ s 1 day's work $\}$
$=(\dfrac{1}{15}-\dfrac{1}{20})=\dfrac{4-3}{60}=\dfrac{1}{60}$
Therefore, A alone can finish the work in 60 days.
Q 3. A can do a piece of work in 25 days and $B$ can finish it in 20 days. They work together for 5 days and then A leaves. In how many days will $B$ finish the remaining work?
Ans: Time taken by $\mathrm{A}$ to finish the work $=25$ days.
A's 1 day's work $=\dfrac{1}{25}$
Time taken by $B$ to finish the work $=20$ days.
B's 1 day's work $=\dfrac{1}{20}$
$(A+B)$ 's 1 day's work $=(\dfrac{1}{25}+\dfrac{1}{20})=\dfrac{9}{100}$
$(A+B)$ 's 5 day's work $(5 \times \dfrac{9}{100})=\dfrac{45}{100}=\dfrac{9}{20}$
Remaining work $(1-\dfrac{9}{20})=\dfrac{11}{20}$
Now, $\dfrac{11}{20}$ work is done by $B$ in 1 day
Therefore, $\dfrac{11}{20}$ work will be done by $B$ in $(\dfrac{11}{20} \times 20)$ days $=11$ days.
Hence, the remaining work is done by $B$ in 11 days.
Practice Questions
Here are practice questions related to work done, through which it can be made in a better way:
Q1. In 300 days, Sanjay finished the school project. If Piyush is 50% more productive than Sanjay, how many days will it take him to finish the identical task?
Ans. 200
Q2. A task can be completed by Sourav and Anshu in 18 days. Anshu and Himanshu can do it in 24 and Sourav and Himanshu can do it in 36 days, respectively. How many days will it take Sourav, Himanshu, and Anshu to complete the task if they collaborate?
Ans. 16 Days
Q3. In 600 days, Sanjay finished the school project. If Piyush is 20% more productive than Sanjay, how many days will it take him to finish the identical task?
Ans. 500
Q4. Piyush, Santosh, and Ramesh are hired as construction workers by a builder on one of his projects. They finish a piece of work in 20, 30, and 60 days, respectively. If Santosh and Ramesh help Piyush every third day, how many days will it take him to do the entire task?
Ans. 15 Days
Q5. A project that Santosh and Prajapati are working on can be finished in 30 days. Santosh put in 16 days of labour, and Prajapati took 44 days to finish it all. How many days would it have taken Prajapati to do the entire project on her own?
Ans. 60 Days
Summary
In this article, we discussed the topic of time and work. Time and work are related concepts. Time is a unit of time, work is an activity done in a given time. Time and work are very important in the field of mathematics. This is because it helps them understand the concept of time and how it can be used to solve mathematical equations. The amount of work you do is related to the amount of time you spend on it. We have understood the topic of time and work perfectly by using some solved problems on work done and time spent.
FAQs on Work Done Problems
1. What is the basic formula used to solve 'Time and Work' problems in Maths?
The fundamental concept is that if a person can complete a work in 'n' days, their work rate for one day is considered 1/n of the total work. Conversely, if their one-day work is 1/n, they will take n days to complete the entire job. This principle is the key to solving most 'Time and Work' problems as per the CBSE curriculum for the 2025-26 session.
2. What are the common methods for solving work problems involving multiple people?
There are two primary methods students use for 'Time and Work' problems:
- The Unitary Method (Fraction Method): In this method, you calculate the fraction of work each person does in one day (e.g., 1/10, 1/15). You then add these fractions to find their combined one-day work rate.
- The LCM Method (Efficiency Method): Here, you assume the total work is the LCM of the days taken by each person. This allows you to work with whole numbers representing 'units of work' per day, which is often faster and avoids complex fraction calculations.
3. How are 'Work Done Problems' in Maths different from 'Work Done' in Physics?
This is a crucial distinction students often ask about. In Maths, 'Work Done Problems' refer to calculating the time it takes for individuals or groups to complete a task, focusing on their rates of work (e.g., painting a house). In Physics, 'Work Done' is a measure of energy transfer, calculated as Force multiplied by Distance (W = F × d). The two concepts are unrelated despite sharing a similar name.
4. How do you calculate the time taken when two people work together on a task?
To find the combined time, you first calculate their combined work rate. If Person A takes 'x' days and Person B takes 'y' days to finish a task alone, their combined work done in one day is (1/x + 1/y). The total time they will take to finish the work together is the reciprocal of this sum, which is calculated as 1 / (1/x + 1/y) days.
5. Why is the LCM method considered a shortcut for solving time and work problems?
The LCM method is often considered a shortcut because it avoids complex calculations with fractions. By setting the total work as the Lowest Common Multiple (LCM) of the given days, you can determine each person's efficiency as a simple whole number (e.g., units of work per day). Adding, subtracting, and multiplying these whole numbers is typically much faster and less prone to error than managing fractions with different denominators.
6. How do you solve problems where one person leaves the work midway through?
For these types of problems, you follow a clear two-step process:
- First, calculate the amount of work completed by everyone working together for the specified number of days.
- Next, find the remaining work by subtracting the completed work from the whole (i.e., 1 - fraction of work done).
- Finally, you divide this remaining work by the daily work rate of the person (or people) who continue the job to find the additional time needed.
7. What is the role of 'efficiency' in solving work problems where productivities are compared?
Efficiency is inversely proportional to the time taken to complete a work. If Person A is 50% more efficient than Person B, it means A can do 1.5 times the work of B in the same amount of time. Consequently, Person A will take less time to complete the same job. The ratio of time taken by A and B will be the inverse of the ratio of their efficiencies. For example, if their efficiencies are in the ratio 3:2, the time they take will be in the ratio 2:3.
8. What are some real-world examples of 'Time and Work' problems covered in the NCERT syllabus?
The NCERT syllabus for middle school often frames these problems using practical, real-world scenarios to help students understand the application. Common examples include:
- Two or more people painting a fence or building a wall together.
- Multiple pipes filling or emptying a tank, a classic variation that uses the same principles of combined rates.
- A group of workers completing a construction project or harvesting a field over a set period.





