If 12 workers are available and you want to finish the job in 2 days, how many workers are needed?

If 12 workers are available and you want to finish the job in 2 days, how many workers are needed?

• A. 12
• B. 18
• C. 30
• D. 24

Answer: (D)

The amount of work is fixed, and total work equals the number of workers times the number of days they work (assuming each worker is equally productive). Here, 12 workers over 2 days amounts to 12 × 2 = 24 worker-days of effort for the job. To finish the same amount of work in 1 day, you’d need 24 workers (24 worker-days in one day). If you truly want to finish in 2 days, 12 workers would suffice (12 × 2 = 24). The given answer reflects the scenario of finishing in 1 day, not 2 days, so the numbers imply a 1-day deadline rather than a 2-day deadline.

The amount of work is fixed, and total work equals the number of workers times the number of days they work (assuming each worker is equally productive). Here, 12 workers over 2 days amounts to 12 × 2 = 24 worker-days of effort for the job. To finish the same amount of work in 1 day, you’d need 24 workers (24 worker-days in one day). If you truly want to finish in 2 days, 12 workers would suffice (12 × 2 = 24). The given answer reflects the scenario of finishing in 1 day, not 2 days, so the numbers imply a 1-day deadline rather than a 2-day deadline.