document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=345086>Question 345086</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> John took all his money out his savings account. He spent $50 on a radio and 3/5 of what remained on presents. Half of what was left he put back in his checking account, and the remaining $35 he donated to charity. How much money did John originally have in his savings account? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #246850 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=oberobic><B>oberobic(2304)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=oberobic><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=246850\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This is a fun question.  it just takes several steps.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Start by picking a variable to represent \"all his money in his savings account.\"  Let's call that 'x'.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "He spent 50 on a radio.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "He spent 3/5 of what was left on presents.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"What was left\" was x-50, so we define this as<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3/5*(x-50) = what he spent on presents.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "He put half of \"what was left\" back into the checking account.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"And the remaining 35 he donated to charity.\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hmm.  That means \"half of what was left\" = 35. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Looking back, the nearest definition of \"what was left\" is 2/5(x-50), since he spent 3/5(x-50) on presents.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/2 of 2/5 = 1/5.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1/5(x-50) = 35<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply both sides by 5 to get rid of the fraction.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-50 = 175<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Add 50 to both sides.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 225<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now check the work.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "225 - 50 = 175, after buying the radio.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3/5(175) = 105, which is the 3/5 he spent on presents.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "175 - 105 = 70, which he split in half:  35 for charity and 35 into checking.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "That matches the setup, so we're almost done.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "What was the question?  \"How much money did John originally have in his savings account?\"<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "John had $225 in his savings account originally.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Done. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );