document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=677885>Question 677885</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A library receives a large cash donation and uses the funds to double the number of books it owns. Then a book collector gives the library 4028 books. After this, the library has 51,514 books. How many books did the library have before the cash donation and the gift of books? <BR>\n" );
document.write( "I've been trying so many different ways to solve this and I can't figure out how you would find out many books they had originally. I needed to define a variable and write an equation for the situation then solve it. I'm very confused can someone please explain this to me? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #421128 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=421128\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> the library started with an unknown <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+x+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+x+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > number of books<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The cash donation allowed them to double that number, so<BR>\n" );
document.write( "then they had <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+2x+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+2x+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > books<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then a book collector gave the library 4028 books, so then<BR>\n" );
document.write( "they had <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+2x+%2B+4028+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+2x+%2B+4028+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > books<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The total after that was <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+51514+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+51514+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > books, so<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+2x+%2B+4028+=+51514+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+2x+%2B+4028+=+51514+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+2x+=+51514+-+4028+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+2x+=+51514+-+4028+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+2x+=+47486+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+2x+=+47486+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+x+=+23743+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+x+=+23743+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The library started with 23,743 books<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );