document.write( "Question 762132: n people shake hands at the start of a meeting. If there are 36 handshakes in all, find the value of n. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #463719 by ramkikk66(644)\"\" \"About 
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Number of handshakes = the number of ways you can choose 2 people from a set of n (each set of 2 people will have 1 handshake)\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In combinatorial terms this is C(n,2) or \"n%2A%28n-1%29%2F2%7D%7D%0D%0A%0D%0A%7B%7B%7Bn%2A%28n-1%29%2F2+=+36\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"n%2A%28n-1%29+=+72\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"n%5E2+-+n+-+72+=+0\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Solving the above quadratic equation through factorization:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"n%5E2+%2B+8%2An+-+9%2An+-+72+=+0\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"n%2A%28n%2B8%29+-+9%2A%28n%2B8%29+=+0\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"%28n-9%29%2A%28n%2B8%29+=+0\" \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "n = 9 or n = -8
\n" ); document.write( "Choosing the positive value of n, the number of people in the meeting = \"highlight%289%29\"\r
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