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If a pump takes 30 seconds to fill a 5-gallon bucket, what is the pumping rate in gallons per minute?

  1. 5 GPM

  2. 10 GPM

  3. 15 GPM

  4. 20 GPM

The correct answer is: 10 GPM

To determine the pumping rate in gallons per minute, it's essential to first convert the time taken to fill the bucket from seconds to minutes. Since there are 60 seconds in a minute, 30 seconds is half a minute or 0.5 minutes. Next, the amount of water pumped is 5 gallons. The rate can be calculated using the formula for flow rate, which is: Flow Rate (GPM) = Amount of water (gallons) / Time (minutes). Substituting the values: Flow Rate (GPM) = 5 gallons / 0.5 minutes = 10 gallons per minute. This calculation clearly shows that the pumping rate is 10 gallons per minute, which corresponds to the answer that is indicated as correct. Understanding how to convert between seconds and minutes is crucial for solving similar problems in wastewater management or any fluid management system.