document.write( "Question 49285: 
Can you please solve.\r\n" );
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document.write( "x  1  2  3  4 \r\n" );
document.write( "a 18 16 14 12\r\n" );
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document.write( "a=????\r\n" );
document.write( "Thanks Brad\r\n" );
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document.write( "something like x + 8 -6!!!!!!!!!!
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Algebra.Com's Answer #32677 by AnlytcPhil(1806)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Can you please solve.\r\n" );
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document.write( "x  1  2  3  4 \r\n" );
document.write( "a 18 16 14 12\r\n" );
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document.write( "a=????\r\n" );
document.write( "Thanks Brad\r\n" );
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document.write( "something like x + 8 -6!!!!!!!!!!\r\n" );
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document.write( "-------------------------------\r\n" );
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document.write( "The successive values of \"a\" differ by -2\r\n" );
document.write( "But the successive values of \"x\" differ by only 1\r\n" );
document.write( "However the successive values of \"2x\" will differ by 2\r\n" );
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document.write( "So let's put in a list between them for 2x\r\n" );
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document.write( " x  1  2  3  4  \r\n" );
document.write( "2x  2  4  6  8\r\n" );
document.write( " a 18 16 14 12\r\n" );
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document.write( "Now we can observe that 2+18=20, 4+16=20, 6+14=20, 8+12=20\r\n" );
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document.write( "So it must be that 2x + a must equal 20, or\r\n" );
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document.write( "2x + a = 20, or solving for a\r\n" );
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document.write( "     a = 20 - 2x.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So the answer is 20 - 2x\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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