document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=133232>Question 133232</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi would you please help me with this word problem?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "A thief steals a number of plants from a nursery.  On the way out he encounters three security guards, one after another.  To each guard the thief is forced to give one half of the plants he still has plus two.  Finally the thief leaves the nursery with one lone plant—how many plants were originally stolen?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Let x/2+2 be the plants given to the first guard<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x/4+2 be the plants given to second guard<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x/8+2 be the plants given to third guard\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2F2%2B2%29-%28x%2F4%2B2%29-%28x%2F8%2B2%29=1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2F2%2B2%29-%28x%2F4%2B2%29-%28x%2F8%2B2%29=1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply by LCD 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x+16-2x-16-x-16=8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-16=8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=24\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "check: (12+2)-(6+2)-(3+2)=1  OK\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "	14+8+5+1= 28 plants stolen \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "But when you check the problem using 28 it does not work;\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( ".5(28) +2 = 6, .5(16)+2=10, .5(10)+2= 7; 16+10+7=33+1=34 \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #97443 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=checkley71><B>checkley71(8403)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=checkley71><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=97443\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> THE EQUATION SHOULD BE:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X-(X/2+2)-(X/4+2)-(X/8+2)=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "YOU SHOULD START WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PLANTS STOLEN WHICH IS X.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X-X/2-2-X/4-2-X/8-2=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X-X/2-X/4-X/8=1+2+2+2 NOW COMBINE THE X TERMS USING A COMMON DENOMINATOR OF 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(8X-4X-2X-1X)/8=7<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X/8=7 NOW CRIOSS MULTIPLY<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X=7*8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "X=56 ANSWER FOR THE NUMBER OF PLANTS STOLEN.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "PROOF:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "56-(56/2=2)-(56/4+2)-(56/8+2)=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "56-28-2-14-2-7-2=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "56-55=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1=1\r<BR>\n" );
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