Setting up Equations - High School Math
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Tom is painting a fence 
feet long. He starts at the West end of the fence and paints at a rate of 
feet per hour. After 
hours, Huck joins Tom and begins painting from the East end of the fence at a rate of 
feet per hour. After 
hours of the two boys painting at the same time, Tom leaves Huck to finish the job by himself.
If Huck completes painting the entire fence after Tom leaves, how many more hours will Huck work than Tom?
Tom is painting a fence
If Huck completes painting the entire fence after Tom leaves, how many more hours will Huck work than Tom?
Tom paints for a total of 
hours (2 on his own, 2 with Huck's help). Since he paints at a rate of 
feet per hour, use the formula
(or 
)
to determine the total length of the fence Tom paints.
feet
Subtracting this from the total length of the fence 
feet gives the length of the fence Tom will NOT paint: 
feet. If Huck finishes the job, he will paint that 
feet of the fence. Using 
, we can determine how long this will take Huck to do:
hours.
If Huck works 
hours and Tom works 
hours, he works 
more hours than Tom.
Tom paints for a total of
to determine the total length of the fence Tom paints.
Subtracting this from the total length of the fence
If Huck works
Compare your answer with the correct one above