document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=99592>Question 99592</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Four friends are playing poker.  At the end of the night the total pot won equals $223.  Melvin has $20 more than Bob, $50 more than John, and $71 more than Ray.  How much does each have?  We are trying to solve this problem at work and nobody can figure it out! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #72453 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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=72453\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Use the first initials of each player as unknowns. The amount of money won by Mel is represented<BR>\n" );
document.write( "by M, by Bob is represented by B, by John is represented by J, and by Ray is represented<BR>\n" );
document.write( "by R.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The total amount of money won is the sum of the winnings of the four players. So you can<BR>\n" );
document.write( "write the equation:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "M + B + J + R = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Next you are told that Mel won $20 more than Bob. Therefore, if you took $20 from Mel's winnings<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the amount you would get is what Bob won.  Therefore, M - 20 = B. So in the equation you<BR>\n" );
document.write( "can substitute M - 20 for B and the equation becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "M + M - 20 + J + R = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Similarly, if you took $50 away from Mel's winnings you would have John's winnings.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In equation form this would be M - 50 = J. Substitute M - 50 for J in the equation and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "it becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "M + M - 20 + M - 50 + R = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Finally, if you took away $71 from Mel's winnings, you would have Ray's amount of winnings.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In equation form this is M - 71 = R. Substitute M - 71 for R and the equation then is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "M + M - 20 + M - 50 + M - 71 = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Collect all the M's on the left side of this equation. There are four of them so the equation <BR>\n" );
document.write( "becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4M - 20 - 50 - 71 = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Next collect the numbers on the left side. -20 and -50 and -71 combine to -141. This makes<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the equation:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4M - 141 = 223<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Get rid of the -141 on the left side by adding 141 to both sides of the equation:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4M = 364<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for M by dividing both sides of the equation by 4 to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "M = 364/4 = $91<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Mel won $91<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "That means that Bob, who won $20 less than Mel, won $71<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and John, who won $50 less than Mel, won $41.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and finally, Ray, who won $71 less than Mel, won $20.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Check by adding everybody's winnings. $91 + $71 + $41 + $20 = $223. It checks. So the <BR>\n" );
document.write( "answers are likely to be correct.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Take the rest of the day off. Hope this helps you to have a good weekend. I've got to go<BR>\n" );
document.write( "find a game like this one ... everybody wins something and nobody loses! Terrific!<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "/// I love slashies </SPAN>\n" );
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