document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=982654>Question 982654</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Natalie went to the movies for $16.50 then spent half of her remaining money on jogging shoes. Next she bought lunch for $9.00 then spent half her remaining money on a skirt. After that she still had $21 left. How much money did she start with?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I tried 21 x 2 = 42<BR>\n" );
document.write( "42 + 9 = 51<BR>\n" );
document.write( "51 x 2 = 102<BR>\n" );
document.write( "102 + 16.50 = 118.50\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So she started with $118.50 but I'm not sure if this is the correct way of doing it. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #603447 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><B>josgarithmetic(39627)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><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=603447\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Calculate one step at a time in the sequence of spending events.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Amount of original money she had, give a variable:  p, the amount of money at start.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<i>went to the movies for $16.50 then spent half of her remaining money on jogging shoes.</i>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "She now had  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > dollars.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "OR  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%28%28p-16.5%29%2F2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%28%28p-16.5%29%2F2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<i>Next she bought lunch for $9.00</i>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Her money not yet spent is <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > dollars.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "OR  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%28%28p-34.5%29%2F2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%28%28p-34.5%29%2F2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<i>...then spent half her remaining money on a skirt.</i>\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "She then still had  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9-%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9%29%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9-%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9%29%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <BR>\n" );
document.write( "and this quantity she still had is stated to be $21.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9-%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9%29%2F2=21%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9-%28p-16.5-%28p-16.5%29%2F2-9%29%2F2=21%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "OR if updating as you go,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight_green%28%283p-103.5%29%2F4=21%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight_green%28%283p-103.5%29%2F4=21%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Calculated?  Maybe.  Simplified?  Not yet.  Simplify the expression on the right, and then solve for p.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "... Another idea, is multiply left and right sides by 2, simplify from that step; and multiply left and right sides AGAIN by 2, simplify and then solve for p.  Why this way, is because you want to handle the complex fractions carefully.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Still another way is to go back and simplify each stage of the process, but this may be more difficult to manage.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Still not sure?  Go back and work through each step of the spending process one at a time, in sequence!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I supplied the \"calculate as you go\" results.  I will not place all the algebra steps here because the text is fairly difficult to type through a keyboard in contrast to being somewhat less difficult to do on paper.  You would then solve the \"21\" equation  for p.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "My final result:  <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight%28p=62.5%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight%28p=62.5%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
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