A stenographer has been asked to fill out 500 forms. She fills 25 forms in half an hour. Another stenographer joins her, who fills 45 forms per hour. How long will the entire assignment take?

The first stenographer fills 25 forms in 30 minutes, so her rate is 50 forms per hour.

The second stenographer fills 45 forms per hour.

Their combined rate is:

50 + 45 = 95 forms per hour

Time required to complete 500 forms:

500 ÷ 95 = 5.26 hours ≈ 5 hours 16 minutes.

Correct Answer: 5 hours 16 minutes