ASVAB · Word Problems

If 5 workers can build a wall in 12 days, how long would it take 10 workers (working at the same rate)?

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Correct answer

6 days

A 24 days
B 10 days
C 8 days
D 6 days

Why this is the answer

This is an INVERSE proportion — more workers means LESS time. Total work = 5 workers × 12 days = 60 worker-days. With 10 workers: 60 ÷ 10 = 6 days. ASVAB Arithmetic Reasoning tests work-rate problems.

Key insight: doubling the workers (5 to 10) halves the time (12 to 6 days). Strategy: for inverse relationships, find the total 'work' (workers × time), then divide by the new number of workers. Watch for the inverse relationship — more workers/machines = less time, not more.

Source: ASVAB Arithmetic Reasoning — Work Rate (Inverse)

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About this topic: Word Problems

Arithmetic Reasoning is almost entirely word problems: the maths is basic, the skill is translating a sentence into an operation — rate × time, part of a whole, unit price, remaining amount. Read for the question being asked, write the setup before calculating, and sanity-check the answer against the choices. This is one of 7 Arithmetic Reasoning questions on word problems, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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If 5 workers can build a wall in 12 days, how long would it take 10 workers (working at the same rate)?

Why this is the answer

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About this topic: Word Problems

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