Pipe & Cisterns

Type I.
EXAMPLE 1. A tank is filled by pipe P in 10 minutes and can be emptied by another Pipe Q in
12 minutes. If both pipe are opened together, in how much time the tank will be
filled?
P 10 min . 6 Units / min .
Q 12 min . 5 Units / min .
L.C.M . of 10,12 60 Unit

We will take the units filled as +ve work and the units empting as ve work.
When both P and Q are open then the tank is filled 6 5 = 1 Unit/min.
So to fill 60Unit it will tank
= 60mins.

60
1

Ans.

Type II.
EXAMPLE 2. Pipe A fills a cistern in 24 min. pipe B fills it in 32 min. Both the pipes are opened
together initially. After how many minutes. pipe B should be turned off so that the cistern is filled in
18 minutes?
A 24 min . 4 Unit / min .
B 32 min . 3 Unit / min .
LCM of 24 and 32 is 96 Unit

According to question A works for full 18 minutes

So in 18 minutes A fills 184 = 72Unit of the tank
Rest unit i.e. 96 72 = 24 units has to be filled by B.
B fills 3Unit in 1min.
So B will fill 24Unit in

24
= 8min.
3

So after 8min. pipe B should be turned off.

Type III.
EXAMPLE 3. A fills a tank in 15min. and B in 20 min. after 4min. pipe A is closed, while B
continues to fill the tank. What is the total time taken to fill the tank?
A 15 min . 4 Unit / min .
B 20 min . 3 Unit / min .
L.C .M . of 15 and 20 60Unit

Both A and B fill 4 + 3 = 7 Units of water per min.

7 Units
-- 74 = 28 Units
Rest quantity = 60 -28 = 32unit.
Rest 32 Unit will be filled by only pipe B.
B fills 3 Unit in 1min.

In 1min.
4min.

1
min .
3
1
fill 32 unit - 32
3

B fill 1 Unit

= 10.67 mins.
Total time taken fill the tank = 4+10.67 = 14.67 mins.

Ans.

EXAMPLE 4. The pipes 1and 2 can fill a tank in 20hours.and 30hours respectively and a third pipe
can empty it in 25hours. All 3 are open and tank is empty then in how many hours the tank will be
filled ?

1Pipe 20hours.. 15 Units / hours.

2 Pipe 30hours. 10 Units / hours.
3 pipe 25hours 12 Units / hours.
L.C.M . of 20,30 and 25 300 Units
5 20, 30, 25
2 4, 6, 5
2 2, 3, 5
3 1, 3, 5
5 1, 1, 5
1, 1, 1
L.C.M. = 22355 = 300
So in 1hour all the pipes can fill = 15+10 -12 = 13Unit
So to fill 300Units they will take
300
23.07 Hours. Ans.
13

EXAMPLE 5. Three pipes can fill a cisterns in 10, 15 and 18minutes. The cisterns being empty all
the 3 pipes are kept open. After 3min. the third pipe is closed. In how many more minutes the tank
will be filled ?

A 10 min . 9 Units / min .

B 15 min . 6 Units / min .
C 18 min . 5 Units / min .
LCM of 10, 15 and 18 is 90 Units
L.C.M. of 15, 15, 18
5

10, 15, 18

2, 3, 18

2, 1, 6

1, 1, 3
1, 1, 1

L.C.M. 5332 = 90min.

A, B and C fill 9 + 6 + 5 = 20Unit in 1min.

In 3min. they fill 203 = 60 min.

Rest of the Unit = 90 - 60 = 30 Units
Rest of the Unit be fill by only A and B.
A and B will be filled in

30
2 min .
15

Ans.

Type V.
EXAMPLE 6. Two pipes can respectively fill a cistern in 10 and 12min., if the waste pipe is
closed, When the waste pipe is open then they can together fill it in 15min. How many minutes
does it take the waste pipe to empty the cistern when the other two pipes are closed?
According to the question
A 10 min . 6 Units / min .
B 12 min . 5 Units / min .
The Capacity of the tank = 60Unit
A B ( when C is open) 15 min . 4 Units / min .

This means A + B C = 4 Units / mins.

But A + B = 6 + 5 = 11 Units/ mins.

C = 4 11 = -7 Units/mins.
Or C empties 7 Units/mins.
To empty 7 Units, C takes 1 min.
To empty 60 Units, C will take

60
8.57 min.
7