document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=189860>Question 189860</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0534400507/algebrahomeworkh></A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Sherry bought a number of shares of stock for $250.  Six months later the value of the stock had increased by $5 per share, and she sold all but 5 shares and regained her original investment plus a profit of $50.  How many shares did she sell and at what price per share?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "thank you, I will be able to solve it once I know how to set it up. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #142460 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><B>solver91311(24713)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=solver91311><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=142460\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <font face=\"Garamond\" size=\"+2\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Let's start with a piece of advice that is not only good for algebra word problems, but for life in general.  Begin with the end in mind.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The end result is the number of shares sold, so let <i><b>x</b></i> represent the number of shares sold.  And we know that the number of shares purchased is 5 more than that, so <i><b>x</b></i> + 5.  We also need a variable to represent the initial price, let's use <i><b>p</b></i>.  We don't need a separate variable for the sell price because we are told the price increase was $5, so the sell price can be expressed as <i><b>p</b></i> + 5.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We know that the original share price is equal to the amount invested ($250)divided by the number of shares purchased:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  p = \frac{250}{x + 5} \">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Furthermore, the sell price is equal to $50 more than the amount invested, or $300 divided by the number of shares sold, so:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  p + 5 = \frac{300}{x} \">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Which can be manipulated thus:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  p = \frac{300}{x} - \frac{5x}{x} = \frac{300 -5x}{x}\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now we have two expressions in terms of <i><b>x</b></i> that are each equal to <i><b>p</b></i>, so set them equal to each other:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  \frac{250}{x + 5} = \frac{300 -5x}{x}\">\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "From here it is only a matter of cross-multiplying and solving the resulting quadratic.  Remember to exclude the negative root because selling a negative number of shares is a logical absurdity.  The positive root will be the desired answer to the question.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "John<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=\"/cgi-bin/rendertex.cgi?\LARGE e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0\"><BR>\n" );
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