SOLUTION: The members of a mathematics club agreed to contribute equally to provide a fund of P240. If there had been 3 more members each would have paid P4 less than the original agreemen

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Question 1185233: The members of a mathematics club agreed to contribute equally to
provide a fund of P240. If there had been 3 more members each would
have paid P4 less than the original agreement. How many members
were present in the club?

Answer by ikleyn(52794) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
The members of a mathematics club agreed to contribute equally to
provide a fund of P240. If there had been 3 more members each would
have paid P4 less than the original agreement. How many members
were present in the club?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let n be the number of members.


Then each contributes  240%2Fn  pesos.


Had the number of members be (n+3),  each would contribute  240%2F%28n%2B3%29  pesos.


The problem says


    240%2Fn - 240%2F%28n%2B3%29 = 4  pesos.    (1)


Cancel the factor 4 in both sides


    60%2Fn - 60%2F%28n%2B3%29 = 1.    (2)


From this point, you may reduce the problem to the quadratic equation, which can be solved by factoring.

Alternatively, you can easily GUESS the solution MENTALLY :  n= 12.


CHECK.  60%2F12 - 60%2F%2812%2B3%29 = 60%2F12 - 60%2F15 = 5 - 4 = 1.    ! Equation (2) is held !


ANSWER.  There are 12 members in the club.

Solved.