<PRE><B>Question 1205512</B>
&lt;br&gt;
The other tutor solved the problem starting from one logical starting point -- the ratio of 7:4 that Tom and John paid for the present.&lt;br&gt;
To be good at algebra, you want to be open to trying different methods for setting up a problem.  Often the amount of work required to solve the problem will be very different for different ways of setting the problem up.&lt;br&gt;
So let&#39;s just see how the solution looks if we start instead from the ratio 5:2 of the amount Tom and John started with.&lt;br&gt;
Let 5x = amount Tom started with
Let 2x = amount John started with&lt;br&gt;
John spent a quarter of his money, the amount he spent was 0.5x.&lt;br&gt;
Tom finished with $99, so the number of dollars he spent was 5x-99.&lt;br&gt;
The ratio of the amounts they spent was 7:4.&lt;br&gt;
{{{(5x-99)/(0.5x)=7/4}}}
{{{3.5x=20x-396}}}
{{{16.5x=396}}}
{{{x=396/16.5=24}}}&lt;br&gt;
The amount Tom spent was 5x-99 = $21; the amount John spent was 0.5x = $12.&lt;br&gt;
ANSWER: The total cost of the present was $21+$12 = $33.&lt;br&gt;
Same answer as from the other tutor of course....&lt;br&gt;
But in this problem the level of difficulty for solving the problem by the other method for setting up the problem seems less.&lt;br&gt;
But you never know until you try....&lt;br&gt;
And the whole point of my response to your question is to encourage you to always consider the possibility of setting up a problem for solving in different ways.&lt;br&gt;
</PRE>