Question 1117451
Lola, Michael and Joaquin each want to buy a sundae.
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Let the sundae (one sundae) cost N dollars
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But Lola is 4 dollars short
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So Lola has N-4 dollars. 
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Michael is 3 dollars short, 
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So Michael has N-3 dollars.
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and Joaquin is 1 dollar short. 
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So Joaquin has N-1 dollars
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Combined, they have exactly enough money to buy one sundae. 
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So the sum of the amounts of money they have equals N

(N-4)+(N-3)+(N-1) = N
      N-4+N-3+N-1 = N
             3N-8 = N
               2N = 8
                N = 4
Edwin</pre>