document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1203170>Question 1203170</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Alan, Ben, Collin and David bought a gift for their teacher and shared the cost equally. David did not bring any money so the rest of the boys paid for his share first. Collin paid 5/9 of the total paid by Alan and Ben that day. Alan paid $4 more than Ben. When David paid the 3 boys the next day, Collin received $36 from him.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(a) How much is the total of Alan and Ben's share of the gift?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(b) How much did Ben pay towards the gift on the day of shopping? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #838527 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13208)</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=838527\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "There is nothing missing from the description of the problem; and the \"equally shared\" in the first sentence is NOT inconsistent with the rest of the problem.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "On the day of shopping, Collin paid 5/9 as much as Alan and Ben together, and David paid nothing.  That means Collin paid 5/14 of the total and Alan and Ben together paid 9/14 of the total.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let 5x be the amount that Collin paid and 9x be the amount that Alan and Ben together paid.  Then the total paid was 14x, making each boy's share 14x/4 = 3.5x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The $36 that David paid Collin the next day was the excess amount Collin paid above his share, which was 5x-3.5x = 1.5x.  So<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "1.5x = $36<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = $36/1.5 = $24<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The amount Collin paid was 5x = $120.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The amount Alan and Ben together paid was 9x = $216.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The total amount paid was 14x = $336.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Alan paid $4 more than Ben; simple algebra or some mental arithmetic show that Ben paid $106 and Alan paid $110.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWERS:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a) Since the total was shared equally 4 ways, the total of Alan's and Ben's shares was half of the total of $336, which is $168.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b) On the day of shopping, the amount Ben paid was $106.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );