Question 1181226
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A man left one-fourth of his estate to his wife, one-fifth to each of his two sons, 
one-eight to his daughter and the remainder, an amount of $3,600 to charity. 
Find the amount of estate.
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<pre>
Let x be the amount of estate.


Then you write equation as you read the text


    {{{x/4}}} + {{{2*(x/5)}}} + {{{x/8}}} + 3600 = x.


To solve it, mutiply all the terms by 40 to ride off the denominators.


    10x + 16x + 5x + 3600*40 = 40x

    144000 = 40x - 10x - 16x - 5x

    144000 = 9x

    x      = 144000/9 = 16000.


<U>ANSWER</U>.  The amount of estate was  16000  monetary units.
</pre>

Solved and carefully explained.



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<H3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A key step in solving such problems is 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to write an equation as you read the text.


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;MEMORIZE and USE this rule (!)


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is the engine which moves the entire solution.</H3>
</H3>