document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1182223>Question 1182223</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A group of boys desiring to group a team to buy a ball. If there had been 3 boys fewer, each would have paid one dollar more; and if there had been 4 boys more, each would have paid 75 cents less. Find the cost of the ball.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "->Please help me how to solve this problem step by step.. Thanks in advance!! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #812197 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=812197\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x be the cost of the ball<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let y be the number of boys<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "x/y = cost per boy<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x/(y-3) = cost per boy if there had been 3 fewer boys<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x/(y+4) = cost per boy if there had been 4 more boys<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "If there had been 3 boys fewer, each would have paid one dollar more...:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28y-3%29=%28x%2Fy%29%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28y-3%29=%28x%2Fy%29%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > [1]<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "... and if there had been 4 boys more, each would have paid 75 cents less:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28y%2B4%29=%28x%2Fy%29-3%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28y%2B4%29=%28x%2Fy%29-3%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > [2]<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Solve each equation by multiplying through by the least common denominator.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "[1] <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28y-3%29=%28x%2Fy%29%2B1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28y-3%29=%28x%2Fy%29%2B1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%28y%29=x%28y-3%29%2By%28y-3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%28y%29=x%28y-3%29%2By%28y-3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=xy=xy-3x%2By%5E2-3y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"xy=xy-3x%2By%5E2-3y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3x+=+y%5E2-3y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3x+=+y%5E2-3y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > [3]<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "[2] <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2F%28y%2B4%29=%28x%2Fy%29-3%2F4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2F%28y%2B4%29=%28x%2Fy%29-3%2F4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%284y%29=x%284%28y%2B4%29%29-3%28y%28y%2B4%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%284y%29=x%284%28y%2B4%29%29-3%28y%28y%2B4%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4xy=4xy%2B16x-3y%5E2-12y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4xy=4xy%2B16x-3y%5E2-12y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=16x=3y%5E2%2B12y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"16x=3y%5E2%2B12y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > [4]<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Eliminate x between [3] and [4] by multiplying [3] by 16 and [4] by -3 and adding:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=48x=16y%5E2-48y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"48x=16y%5E2-48y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-48x=-9y%5E2-36y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-48x=-9y%5E2-36y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=0=7y%5E2-84y ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"0=7y%5E2-84y\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=0=7y%28y-12%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"0=7y%28y-12%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "y=0 or y=12.  Clearly y=0 makes no sense in the problem, so y=12.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So the number boys is y=12.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Use y=12 in either [1] or [2] to find the cost of the ball.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I leave that much to you....<br><BR>\n" );
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