A pump runs continuously for 24 hours at full speed and delivers 288,000 gallons. What is the capacity of the pump in gallons per minute?

To determine the capacity of the pump in gallons per minute, you start with the total volume of water it delivers during the 24-hour period and convert that duration into minutes. The pump delivers 288,000 gallons over a period of 24 hours.

First, convert 24 hours to minutes:

• There are 60 minutes in an hour, so:

24 hours × 60 minutes/hour = 1,440 minutes.

Next, to find the capacity of the pump in gallons per minute, divide the total gallons delivered by the total minutes:

• 288,000 gallons ÷ 1,440 minutes = 200 gallons per minute.

This calculation shows that the pump can deliver 200 gallons every minute, confirming the answer. Understanding this relationship between total volume, time, and rate is crucial in evaluating pump performance, particularly in septic tank and wastewater management.