SOLUTION: A group of sailors is planning to share equally the cost of a $45,000 sailboat. When four sailors dropped out of the group, the cost per sailor increased by $3,000. How many sailor
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Question 636187: A group of sailors is planning to share equally the cost of a $45,000 sailboat. When four sailors dropped out of the group, the cost per sailor increased by $3,000. How many sailors were in the original group = Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A group of sailors is planning to share equally the cost of a $45,000 sailboat. When four sailors dropped out of the group, the cost per sailor increased by $3,000. How many sailors were in the original group =
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Let original number be "x":
Average cost = 45000/x dollars
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Size of new group is "x-4"
Average cost = 45000/(x-4)
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Equation:
new average - old average = 3000
45000/(x-4) - 45000/x = 3000
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45000x - 45000(x-4) = 3000x(x-4)
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4*45000 = 3000x^2 - 12000x
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x^2 - 4x - 60 = 0
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(x-10)(x+6) = 0
Positive solution:
x = 10 (# in the original group)
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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