document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=960743>Question 960743</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\">    If each employee in a certain bank will be given three ball pens from the available supply, one of them would have to be satisfied with only two. But if each employee will be given two ball pens, 8 ball pens would remain. How many ball pens are available? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #587222 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=macston><B>macston(5194)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=macston><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=macston><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=587222\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> E=number of employees; N=number of pens<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3E-1=N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2E+8=N Substitute for N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3E-1=2E+8 Subtract 2E from each side.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "E-1=8 Add 1 to each side. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "E=9 There are 9 employees.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3E-1=N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3(9)-1=N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "27-1=N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "26=N ANSWER: There are 26 pens.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "CHECK:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2E+8=N<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2(9)+8=26<BR>\n" );
document.write( "26=26 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );