document.write( "Question 1209429: A cinema can seat 256 patrons. How many patrons less than 10,000 attended 38 performances if all the seats were occupied for each performance?
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #848802 by AnlytcPhil(1810)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\r\n" );
document.write( "Since the tutors on here often speak about the clarity of the problems posted\r\n" );
document.write( "here, I thought I'd mention this one.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "What is meant by the word \"patron\"?  I think a patron is ONE individual person,\r\n" );
document.write( "not to be considered as, say, TEN DIFFERENT patrons if he or she attends TEN\r\n" );
document.write( "different performances.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "I claim the problem is not clear, and the answer could range between \r\n" );
document.write( "10000-256=9744 patrons and 10000-9728=272 patrons.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "It's theoretically possible that there were only 256 patrons and all 256 of\r\n" );
document.write( "those same patrons attended all 38 performances.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "On the other end, it's theoretically possible there were 38*256=9728 different\r\n" );
document.write( "patrons and each attended exactly 1 performance each.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "If the answer is really 9728, then the problem should be worded so that it would\r\n" );
document.write( "be clear that if the same person attends two or more performances, then she or\r\n" );
document.write( "he would be counted as many times as she or he attended one of the 38\r\n" );
document.write( "performances.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Another way to clearly word it would be to speak of the number of tickets sold\r\n" );
document.write( "instead of the number of patrons.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Edwin
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );