SOLUTION: Pat ate a total of 100 peanuts over a period of 5 days. Each day she ate 6 more peanuts than on the previous day. How many peanuts did Pat ate at the first day?

Question 227005: Pat ate a total of 100 peanuts over a period of 5 days. Each day she ate 6 more peanuts than on the previous day. How many peanuts did Pat ate at the first day?
Found 2 solutions by chibisan, lilmama50:
Answer by chibisan(131) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
1st day = x
2nd day = x+6
3rd = x+6+6
4th = x+6+6+6
5th = x+6+6+6+6
5x+60 = 100
5x = 40
x = 8 (1st day)
Answer by lilmama50(7) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Pat ate 8 peanuts the very first day.

Take the total number of peanuts eaten(100)and divide it by the total amount of days it took to eat them all (5). Which gives you the mean amount of peanuts that Pat ate in the five day period. (20)

Since this is the average number she ate, you will need to subtract 6 from this number to get the 2nd days value. (20 - 6 = 14) Then subtract 6 more from the 2nd days value to get the 1st days value. (14 - 6 = 8)

In order to check the answer to make sure it is correct, just take the mean number (20) add 6 to it to receive the 4th days value. (20 + 6 = 26) then add 6 more to that days value to receive the 5th days value. (26 + 6 = 32)

Now add up all 5 days' values and see if it equals the total amount of peanuts Pat ate. (8 + 14 + 20 + 26 + 32 = 100)

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