If it takes two workers, working separately but at the same speed, 2 hours and…

To solve this problem, we must understand the inverse relationship between the number of workers and the time required to complete a task.

Step-by-Step Analysis
Standardize Units: First, convert the given time into minutes for easier calculation.

2 hours and 40 minutes = (2 × 60) + 40 = 120 + 40 = 160 minutes.

Analyze the Work Relationship: The problem states two workers take 160 minutes working separately. This implies that if both workers were working simultaneously on the same task, the time would be shorter; however, the prompt clarifies they are working "separately but at the same speed" to complete a particular task. If the total man-hours required for the task is distributed among them, reducing the workforce to one worker means the remaining worker must perform the total work alone.

Calculate the Time for One Worker: Since one worker is doing the work that two workers were splitting, it will take twice as long.

Time = 160 minutes × 2 = 320 minutes.

Convert Back to Hours and Minutes:

320 minutes ÷ 60 minutes/hour = 5 hours with a remainder of 20 minutes.

Total time = 5 hours and 20 minutes.

Correct Option
Option D: 5 hrs. 20 min