document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=949374>Question 949374</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Arthur painted 2/5 of a fence. Boris painted 1/4 of what was left. Chester painted the last 18 feet. How long was the fence?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "how do I go about solving this? any help would be greatly appreciated! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #579594 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=addingup><B>addingup(3677)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=addingup><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=addingup><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=579594\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> How you go about it is that you follow the words. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "The length of the fence is an unknown, let's call it x:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Arthur painted 2/5 of x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Boris painted 1/4 of x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Chester painted the last 18 feet. \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now the equation, just follow the problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2/5x + 1/4x + 18 = x Let's get rid of the fractions on the left, we need a common denominator:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "5*4= 20, this is our common denominator. Multiply both sides times 20:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "20(2/5x + 1/4x + 18) = 20x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "8x + 5x + 360 = 20x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "13x + 360 = 20x \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Subtract 13x, both sides<BR>\n" );
document.write( "360 = 7x Divide both sides by 7:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "360/7= 7x/7<BR>\n" );
document.write( "51.43= x This is the length of your fence, 51.43 feet.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Proof: 51.43(2/5) + 51.43(1/4) + 18= length of fence.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "20.57 + 12.86 + 18 = 51.43 We've got the right answer\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );