document.write( "Question 271715: A thief steals a number of rare plants from a nursery. On his way out, the thief meets three security guards, one after another. To each security guard the thief is forced to give one-half the plants that he still has, plus two more. Finally, the thief leaves the nursery with no plants. How many plants were originally stolen? \n" ); document.write( "

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A thief steals a number of rare plants from a nursery. On his way out, the thief meets three security guards, one after another. To each security guard the thief is forced to give one-half the plants that he still has, plus two more. Finally, the thief leaves the nursery with no plants. How many plants were originally stolen?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x plants stolen
\n" ); document.write( "x - (1/2 * x + 2) 1st guard
\n" ); document.write( "x/2 - 2 after 1st guard
\n" ); document.write( "x/2 - 2 - (1/2 * (x/2 - 2) + 2) 2nd guard
\n" ); document.write( "x/2 - 2 - (x/4 - 1 + 2)
\n" ); document.write( "x/2 - 2 - x/4 - 1
\n" ); document.write( "2x/4 - x/4 - 3
\n" ); document.write( "x/4 - 3 after 2nd guard
\n" ); document.write( "x/4 - 3 - (1/2 * (x/4 - 3) + 2) 3rd guard
\n" ); document.write( "x/4 - 3 - (x/8 - 3/2 + 2)
\n" ); document.write( "2x/8 - 3 - (x/8 + 1/2)
\n" ); document.write( "2x/8 - 3 - x/8 - 1/2
\n" ); document.write( "x/8 - 7/2 after 3rd guard\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x/8 - 7/2 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "x/8 = 7/2
\n" ); document.write( "x = 7/2 * 8
\n" ); document.write( "x = 56/2 = 28 plants originally stolen\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "check: 28
\n" ); document.write( " 28 - 16 = 12 after 1st guard
\n" ); document.write( " 12 - 8 = 4 after second guard
\n" ); document.write( " 4 - 4 = 0 after 3rd guard\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

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