document.write( "Question 86742This question is from textbook Mathematics for elementary teachers
\n" ); document.write( ": I need help with the following problem.
\n" ); document.write( "Someone spilled ink on a bill for 36 sweatshirts. If only the first and last digits were covered and the other three digits were, in order, 8, 3, 9 as in
\n" ); document.write( "?83.9?, how much did each cost?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I do not have a clue how to do this problem. Please help.
\n" ); document.write( "Thank you for your time, it is appreciated.
\n" ); document.write( "Sincerely,
\n" ); document.write( "R. Franke \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #62762 by Edwin McCravy(20055) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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I need help with the following problem. \r\n" );
document.write( "Someone spilled ink on a bill for 36 sweatshirts. If only the first and last\r\n" );
document.write( "digits were covered and the other three digits were, in order, 8, 3, 9 as in\r\n" );
document.write( "?83.9?, how much did each cost? \r\n" );
document.write( "I do not have a clue how to do this problem. Please help.\r\n" );
document.write( "Thank you for your time, it is appreciated.\r\n" );
document.write( "Sincerely,\r\n" );
document.write( "R. Franke\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The price was $_83.9_ or _839_ in pennies. \r\n" );
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document.write( "Let's find the smallest possible price in pennies one shirt could have\r\n" );
document.write( "cost. \r\n" );
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document.write( "The smallest way to fill in those blanks is with a 1 in the first blank\r\n" );
document.write( "and a 0 in the last blank, or 18390. But 18390 is not a multiple of 36.\r\n" );
document.write( "The smallest multiple of 36 above that is 18396. Therefore the smallest\r\n" );
document.write( "possible price for the 36 shirts must be 18396 which is 36×511.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So, hey, that's the answer! 36 shirts for 511 cents each or $5.11 each.\r\n" );
document.write( "Or at least it's AN answer.\r\n" );
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document.write( "If 36 shirts cost 18396 pennies, then that cost in dollars is\r\n" );
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document.write( "$183.96.\r\n" );
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document.write( "I'm not sure if that's THE ONLY answer but it IS indeed AN answer.\r\n" );
document.write( "Each shirt cost $5.11 and the price of 36 of them is $183.96.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin

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