Question:

A tank is connected to three pipes – Pipe A, B and C. Pipe A can fill the tank in 6 hours, B can fill the tank in 8 hours and Pipe C can empty the full tank in 12 hours. How much time will it take to fill the tank completely if all three pipes are working together?

Show Hint

Inlet rates are positive, outlet (emptying) rates negative. Sum the rates, then invert to get the time.
Updated On: Jul 15, 2026
  • 4 hours
  • 4 hours 48 minutes
  • 5 hours
  • 5 hours 20 minutes
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is B

Approach Solution - 1

Rates: A fills $\tfrac{1}{6}$ tank/hr, B fills $\tfrac{1}{8}$ tank/hr, C empties $\tfrac{1}{12}$ tank/hr.
Net rate: \[ \frac{1}{6}+\frac{1}{8}-\frac{1}{12} = \frac{4}{24}+\frac{3}{24}-\frac{2}{24} = \frac{5}{24}\ \text{tank/hr}. \] Time to fill $= \dfrac{1}{\text{rate}}= \dfrac{24}{5}$ hours $= 4.8$ hours $= 4$ hours $48$ minutes.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

Approach Solution -2

Three pipes fill or empty a tank at different rates, and we need the time to fill it when all three work together. We can check each option by converting it to a rate and comparing with the combined rate of the three pipes.

  1. 4 hours: This implies a combined rate of \( \frac{1}{4} \) tank per hour, that is \( \frac{6}{24} \). The actual combined rate is \( \frac{1}{6}+\frac{1}{8}-\frac{1}{12}=\frac{4+3-2}{24}=\frac{5}{24} \), so this does not match.
  2. 4 hours 48 minutes: This is 4.8 hours, giving a combined rate of \( \frac{1}{4.8}=\frac{5}{24} \) tank per hour, matching the actual combined rate exactly.
  3. 5 hours: This implies a combined rate of \( \frac{1}{5}=\frac{4.8}{24} \), close to but not equal to \( \frac{5}{24} \), so it does not match.
  4. 5 hours 20 minutes: This is \( \frac{16}{3} \) hours, giving a combined rate of \( \frac{3}{16}=\frac{4.5}{24} \), which does not match \( \frac{5}{24} \) either.

The combined rate of the three pipes works out to \( \frac{5}{24} \) tank per hour, which corresponds to a fill time of 4 hours 48 minutes.

Therefore, the correct answer is 4 hours 48 minutes.

Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

Approach Solution -3

Working together, the three pipes fill \( \tfrac{1}{6}+\tfrac{1}{8}-\tfrac{1}{12}=\tfrac{5}{24} \) of the tank every hour. Building up the tank level hour by hour: after hour 1 it is \( 5/24 \) full, after hour 2 it is \( 10/24 \), after hour 3 it is \( 15/24 \), and after hour 4 it is \( 20/24 \), leaving \( 4/24 \) still to fill. We can check each option by seeing whether the tank is exactly full, \( 24/24 \), at that point in time.

  1. 4 hours: By hour 4 the tank is only \( 20/24 \) full, short of complete by \( 4/24 \).
  2. 4 hours 48 minutes: This is 4.8 hours; at \( 5/24 \) per hour, the level reached is \( 4.8 \times 5/24=24/24 \), exactly full.
  3. 5 hours: At \( 5/24 \) per hour, the level reached would be \( 5 \times 5/24=25/24 \), already overflowing past full.
  4. 5 hours 20 minutes: This is \( 16/3 \) hours; the level reached would be \( \tfrac{16}{3} \times \tfrac{5}{24}=\tfrac{80}{72} \), well past full.

Building up the fill level in steps of \( 5/24 \) each hour shows the tank reaches exactly full only at 4.8 hours, that is 4 hours 48 minutes.

Therefore, the correct answer is 4 hours 48 minutes.

Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top CLAT Quantitative Aptitude Questions

View More Questions

Top CLAT Questions

View More Questions