document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=11602>Question 11602</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> In preparation for a party, Heather fills a large jar with gum drops. Before the party begins, Michael see the gum drop jar. He (hoping that no one will realize) takes one-third of the drops. Soon after, Tanya takes one-third of the gum drops (she too hopes that nobody will notice). Finally, Brian appears and, like the others, takes one-third of the gum drops. If forty gum drops are left in the jar, how many did it originally contain? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #5982 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><B>Earlsdon(6294)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Earlsdon><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=5982\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x = the original number of jelly beans in the jar before the pilfering began.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "After Michael has pinched his third, the number left is:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+-+%281%2F3%29x+=+%282%2F3%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+-+%281%2F3%29x+=+%282%2F3%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "After Tanya's sampling, the number left is:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%282%2F3%29x+-+%281%2F3%29%282%2F3%29x+=+%286%2F9%29x+-+%282%2F9%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%282%2F3%29x+-+%281%2F3%29%282%2F3%29x+=+%286%2F9%29x+-+%282%2F9%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%284%2F9%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%284%2F9%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Finally, after Brian has helped himself to one third, there are 40 jelly beans remaining:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%284%2F9%29x+-+%281%2F3%29%284%2F9%29x+=+%2812%2F27%29x+-+%284%2F27%29x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%284%2F9%29x+-+%281%2F3%29%284%2F9%29x+=+%2812%2F27%29x+-+%284%2F27%29x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%288%2F27%29x+=+40 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%288%2F27%29x+=+40\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >  Multiply both sides by 27.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8x+=+1080 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8x+=+1080\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Divide both sides by 8.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+135 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+135\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > There were 135 jelly beans in the jar before the crime.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Check:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=135+-+135%2F3+=+135+-+45 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"135+-+135%2F3+=+135+-+45\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = 90<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=90+-+90%2F3+=+90+-+30 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"90+-+90%2F3+=+90+-+30\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=60+-+60%2F3+=+60+-+20 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"60+-+60%2F3+=+60+-+20\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = 40 </SPAN>\n" );
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