Barrels of Oil Production Puzzle
How can we solve the barrels of oil production puzzle?
An oilfield contains 8 wells that produce a total of 2,400 barrels of oil per day. For each additional well that is drilled, the average production per well decreases by 25 barrels per day. How many barrels of oil does each individual well produce?
Solution to the Barrels of Oil Production Puzzle
Each individual well initially produces 200 barrels per day.
To solve this puzzle, we can set up an equation using the given information. Let x represent the number of additional wells drilled. The total production of oil is given as 2,400 barrels per day, so we can write the equation:
8 - 25x = 2,400
Solving for x, we get x = 6. Substituting this value back into the equation, we find that each additional well decreases the average production by 25 barrels per day. Therefore, each individual well initially produces 8 wells * 25 barrels/day well = 200 barrels per day.
This puzzle demonstrates the importance of understanding how changes in production levels can affect individual output. By analyzing the data provided and using mathematical equations, we can gain insights into the dynamics of oil production in an oilfield.