document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=548227>Question 548227</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This is a system of equation problem and I am not sure what I need to do as we are just starting them.  Could you please help me out? The question is How many days before 17th August is it, if 50 days ago it was four times as many since March 30th?  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #356814 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josmiceli><B>josmiceli(19441)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josmiceli><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=josmiceli><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=356814\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = number of days before August 17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-------------------------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "given:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+50+%2B+a+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+50+%2B+a+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > days before August 17 it was<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+4a+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+4a+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > days since March 30<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-------------------------\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+4a+%2B+50+%2B+a+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+4a+%2B+50+%2B+a+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = number of days between <BR>\n" );
document.write( "March 30 and August 17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "---------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "March 31 = 1 day<BR>\n" );
document.write( "April has 30 days<BR>\n" );
document.write( "May has 31<BR>\n" );
document.write( "June has 30<BR>\n" );
document.write( "July has 31<BR>\n" );
document.write( "There are 16 days before August 17 <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=++1+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+16+=+139+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"++1+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+16+=+139+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+5a+%2B+50+=+139+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+5a+%2B+50+=+139+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+5a+=89+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+5a+=89+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+a+=+17.5+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+a+=+17.5+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I'll call it 18 days<BR>\n" );
document.write( "check:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "August 17 minus 18 days is July 31<BR>\n" );
document.write( "July 31 minus 50 days is June 10<BR>\n" );
document.write( "---------------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+4%2A18+=+72+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+4%2A18+=+72+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Is it 72 days since March 30?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+1+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+10+=+72+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+1+%2B+30+%2B+31+%2B+10+=+72+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > days<BR>\n" );
document.write( "---------------------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I believe 18 days is the answer, but I lost<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1 day somehow in my calculations </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );