document.write( "Question 1125350: A theater can seat 270 people. The number of rows is 3 less than the number of seats in each row. How many rows of seats are there? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #741685 by greenestamps(13203) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!

\n" ); document.write( "Note from the other two responses you have received that formal algebra is not always the way to solve a problem.

\n" ); document.write( "In the algebraic solution outlined by the first tutor, the algebra leads you to where you need to finish solving the problem by finding two numbers whose product is 270 and whose difference is 3.

\n" ); document.write( "But that is what you need to do in the original problem! So the algebra didn't get you any closer to the solution.

\n" ); document.write( "The response from the other tutor shows a solution method that is much better because it uses logical reasoning -- which is excellent brain exercise.

\n" ); document.write( "The two numbers you are looking for differ by 3, and their product is 270. So the two numbers will be close to the square root of 270, which is between 16 and 17.

\n" ); document.write( "And so the most likely numbers are 15 and 18 -- and they work.

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\n" ); document.write( "note to tutor ikleyn

\n" ); document.write( "in your discussion of the problem you at one point say the product is 330 instead of 270; you might want to fix that \n" ); document.write( "

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