document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=233219>Question 233219</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Mike is loading four boxes of provisions on his boat.  Together the boxes wigh 80 lbs.  Each box is 1/3 the weight of the next heavier box.  What is the weight of each box?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "That is the problem I'm trying to solve.  Ok well I've solved it, but i need to know how you would \"show\" how to solve it.  I'm a Guess/Checker and came up with<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2;6;18;54 for the 4 boxes.  How would i go about solving that mathematically though?  It's for my Wife's Elementary Math class, and she has to do a bit more than my guess and check method.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #172140 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=172140\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> let the boxes be a, b, c, d\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a = b/3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = c/3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = d/3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "this means that:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "d = 3*c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "d = 3*b<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 3*a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a = a\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you have a + b  + c + d = 80\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "replace d with 3*c to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a + b + c + 3*c = 80\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "replace c with 3*b to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a + b + 3*b + 3*3*b = 80\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "replace b with 3*a to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a + 3*a + 3*3*a + 3*3*3*a = 80\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "simplify and combine like terms to get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a + 3*a + 9*a + 27*a = 80 which becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "40*a = 80 which becomes:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a = 2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you get:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a = 2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 3*2 = 6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = 3*3*2 = 18<BR>\n" );
document.write( "d = 3*3*3*2 = 54\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "your answers are:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a = 2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = 18<BR>\n" );
document.write( "d = 54\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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