<PRE><B>Question 393089</B>
the total outing cost for a group of people amounted to P8000. when an additional 4 persons decided to join the outing, the cost per person decreased by P100. how many actually joined the outing?
...
let there be x persons
cost per person = 8000/x
..
4 persons join
=x+4
cost reduces by 100
..
8000/x - 8000/(x+4)= 100
LCD = x(x+4)
(8000(x+4)-8000x)/x(x+4)=100
8000x+32000-8000x=100(x(x+4))
32000=100x^2+400x
/100
320=x^2+4x
x^2+4x-320=0
x^2+20x-16x-320=0
x(x+20)-16(x+20)=0
(x-16)(x+20)=0
x= 16 which is positive
Initially 16 persons joined the outing.
...
m.ananth@hotmail.ca</PRE>