<PRE><B>Question 195077</B>
Starting  with  x  total  apples,,,each  time  a  man  eats  he  leaves  2/3  of  what  he  found ( eats  1/3,,,1-1/3 = 2/3  )
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3  men  eat  therefore  2/3 *2/3 * 2/3 *x  =8
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simplifying,  .296296  x  = 8,  or  x =27
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checking
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27 *1/3 =9,  27-9 = 18
18 * 1/3  =6,,18-6=12
12*1/3 =4,,,,12-4=8,,,,,ok</PRE>