document.write( "Question 986237: A thief steals a number of rare plants from a nursery. On the way out, the thief meets three security guards, one after another. To each security guard, the thief is forced to give up one-half of the plants that he still has, plus 3 more. Finally, the thief leaves nursery with 2 plants. How many plants were originally stolen? What is the equation(s) I use and how do I solve them? Thank you. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #607037 by solver91311(24713)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "After he went past the 3rd guard, he had 2.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Just before that he had given the 3rd guard 3, so before he did that he had 5.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Just before he had 5 he gave the 3rd guard half of what he had, so he must have had 10.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Before that he gave the 2nd guard 3...\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "and so on. You can figure out the rest.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "John
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "
\n" );