Two pipes A and B are attached to an empty water tank. Pipe A fills the tank while pipe B drains it. If pipe A is opened at 2 pm and pipe B is opened at 3 pm, then the tank becomes full at 10 pm. Instead, if pipe A is opened at 2 pm and pipe B is opened at 4 pm, then the tank becomes full at 6 pm. If pipe B is not opened at all, then the time, in minutes, taken to fill the tank is

Let A fill the tank at x liters/hour and B drain it at y liters/hour 
Now as per Condition 1 : 
We get Volume filled till 10pm = 8x-7y       (1) .
Here A operates for 8 hours and B operates for 7 hours .
As per condition 2
We get Volume filled till 6pm = 4x-2y        (2)
Here A operates for 4 hours and B operates for 2 hours .
Now equating (1) and (2)
we get 8x-7y =4x-2y
so we get 4x =5y 
y =4x/5
So volume of tank = $$8x-7\times\ \frac{4x}{5}=\frac{12x}{5}$$
So time taken by A alone to fill the tank = $$\frac{\frac{12x}{5}}{x}=\frac{12}{5}hrs\ $$
= 144 minutes