SOLUTION: sixty cookies were equally distributed to x campers. eight campers did not want cookies, so their share was redistributed to the other campers, who each received two more. what is

Question 1043260: sixty cookies were equally distributed to x campers. eight campers did not want cookies, so their share was redistributed to the other campers, who each received two more. what is the total number of campers?
Answer by rothauserc(4718) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let n be the number of cookies each camper gets, then
:
we have two equations in two unknowns
:
1) 60 / x = n
2) 8n / (x-8) = 2
:
substitute for n in equation 2)
:
8(60/x) / (x-8) = 2
:
480/x = 2x - 16
:
480 = 2x^2 -16x
:
x^2 -8x -240 = 0
:
(x-20) * (x+12) = 0
:
x = 20 or -12
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we want the positive value for x
There are 20 campers
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