Rational Equations Word Problems Worksheet

Rational Equations Word Problems

Read each word problem carefully. Set up a rational equation to solve the problem and show all your work. Round your answers to two decimal places where necessary.

1. John can paint a house in 8 hours. His friend, Mike, can paint the same house in 6 hours. If they work together, how long will it take them to paint the house?

2. A large pipe can fill a tank in 5 hours. A smaller pipe can fill the same tank in 8 hours. If both pipes are opened, how long will it take to fill the tank?

3. A boat travels 30 miles upstream in the same amount of time it travels 50 miles downstream. If the current of the river is 5 mph, what is the speed of the boat in still water?

4. A car travels 200 miles in the same time a truck travels 180 miles. If the car's speed is 10 mph faster than the truck's speed, find the speed of both vehicles.

5. A chemist has 20 liters of a 40% acid solution. How much pure acid must be added to increase the concentration to 50%?

6. How many liters of a 20% saline solution must be added to 10 liters of a 50% saline solution to obtain a 30% saline solution?

7. The denominator of a fraction is 3 more than its numerator. If 2 is added to both the numerator and the denominator, the new fraction is equal to 4/5. Find the original fraction.