Help me on my math!!

[LongCoolMother]

A group of workers were cutting two fields of hay. One field had twice the area of the other. They all worked on the larger field for a half day, then half of them started on the smaller field the other half of the day. At the end of the day, the larger field was cut, but one worker had to work an entire second day to finish the smaller field. How many workers were in each group?

This problem has gotten me stumped, its geometry and im in 8th grade. you smart ppl here should be able to get me started right? i hope so... i dont need the answer, just like hints on where to start or to point me in the right direction...-_- so hard..

 

[b0mbrman]

let x = area of smaller field
let 2x = area of larger field (twice as big as smaller field)

Let y = number of workers = mandays put in each day (If 20 workers work one day, they get done the same amount as one man in 20 days)

Then, go by the words in the problem.

2x = (1/2)y + (1/2)(1/2)y
x = (1/2)(1/2)y + 1

 

[fatalbert]

unless I am reading this wrong(very possible, i am tired) or you didn't give all the info. there are multiple possible answers

 

[b0mbrman]

<< 2x = (1/2)y + (1/2)(1/2)y
x = (1/2)(1/2)y + 1 >>



Substitute the x of the 2nd eq. into the 1st eq.

2[(1/2)(1/2)y + 1] = (1/2)y + (1/2)(1/2)y
2[(1/4)y + 1] = (3/4)y
y/2 + 2 = 3y/4
2 = y/4
8 = y

There's 8 workers

What's the area of the 2 fields (x)? It doesn't matter...if you solve it, the answer you get will be in terms of how many workers it would take to cut it in one day