SOLUTION: The members of a flying club plan to share equally the cost of a $200,000 airplane. The members want to find five more people to join the club so that the cost per person will decr

Question 150245This question is from textbook Elementary and Intermediate Algebra
: The members of a flying club plan to share equally the cost of a $200,000 airplane. The members want to find five more people to join the club so that the cost per person will decrease by $2000. How many members are currently in the club? This question is from textbook Elementary and Intermediate Algebra

Answer by mangopeeler07(462) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
constant=cost in thousands *(so you have less zeros and it looks less confusing)
y=number of people
x=price per person

200/y=x
(200/y+5)=x-2

Substitute x
(200/y+5)=(200/y)-2

Common denominator on the right side=y
200/y+5=200/y - 2y/y

Combine like terms on the right side
200/y+5=200-2y/y

Cross multiply
200y=(y+5)(-2y+200)

FOIL the right side
200y=-2y^2+190y+1000

Subtract 200y from both sides
0=-2y^2-10y+1000

Factor out a negative 2
0=-2(y^2+5y-500)

Factor
0=-2(y+25)(y-20)

Solve for y
y+25=0
y=-25

y-20=0
y=20

You got two solutions, but since y=number of people, and the amount of people cannot be negative, you know that y=20 is your answer.

# of current members: 20
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