Someone please help me solve this question it is way too hard

[Zeki]

A bricklayer’s apprentice takes 10 hours longer than the bricklayer to make a
fireplace. The apprentice worked alone on a fireplace for 5 hours, after which the
bricklayer began to help. It took 2 more hours for them to finish the fireplace. How
long would it take the apprentice to make the fireplace on his own?

 

[tkhunny]

How many of the jobs can the bricklayer do in one hour on his/her own?
How many of the jobs can the apprentice do in one hour on his/her own?
How many of the jobs can the apprentice and bricklayer do together in one hour?

Don't say, "It isn't given."

How much of the job is done at the end of 5 hours?
How much of the job remains undone after 6 hours? This is given.

 

[Dr.Peterson]

A bricklayer’s apprentice takes 10 hours longer than the bricklayer to make a
fireplace. The apprentice worked alone on a fireplace for 5 hours, after which the
bricklayer began to help. It took 2 more hours for them to finish the fireplace. How
long would it take the apprentice to make the fireplace on his own?

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Since you are apparently taking algebra, a good start (if you haven't started yet) is to define a variable or two. One possible choice is to define a variable to represent the number of hours it takes the bricklayer to do the job alone. Then you can write an equation for the total time it takes when they work together. (You might prefer to define the variable as the time for the apprentice to do the job alone, since that is what you are asked for.)

(I have to make a comment on the problem, though. In order to solve this sort of problem, we have to assume that each works at the same rate whether working alone or together. I suspect that is not realistic for making a fireplace, as they may either work more efficiently when they can be doing different tasks that support one another, or they may be slower when one has to help the other fix a mistake, or if they get in one another's way. But ignore this comment; you aren't expected to think that deeply!)