document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=363799>Question 363799</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The people of Vancouver cannot keep a secret. Upon being told a secret, a person from Vancouver will spend the next hour telling 3 friends the secret. In turn, those 3 friends will spend the next hour each telling 3 more people. This process continues and no one will tel someone who already knows the secret. If you tell a person from Vancouver a secret, how many people, excluding you, will know the secret in 7 hours? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #259447 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=amoresroy><B>amoresroy(361)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=amoresroy><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=amoresroy><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=259447\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> a = 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "r = 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "n = 7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Sum = a (1 - r^n)/((1-r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    = 3 (1 - 3^7)/ (1-3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    = 3 (1-2187)/ (1-3)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    = 3 (-2186)/(-2)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "    = 3,279\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "3,279 people will know the secret in 7 hours<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );