Question 1207297
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Xavier works in an amusement park and is helping decorate it with strands of lights. 
This morning, he used a total of 28 strands of lights to decorate 4 bushes and 1 tree. 
This afternoon, he strung lights on 3 bushes and 1 tree, using a total of 24 strands. 
Assuming that all bushes are decorated one way and all trees are decorated another, 
how many strands did Xavier use on each
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        This problem ideally suits to solve it MENTALLY.



<pre>
As you read the problem, you should notice in your mind, that the difference 
between work done in the morning and in the afternoon is 4-3 = 1 bush and 28-24=4 strands of lights.


So, you conclude that Xavier uses 4 strands of lights to decorate each bush.


Thus this morning he used 4*4 = 16 strands of lights to decorate 4 bushes,
and the rest 28-16 = 12 strands of lights to decorate one tree.


<U>ANSWER</U>.  4 strands of lights for each bush and 12 strands of lights for each tree.


<U>CHECK</U> the number of strands of lights used in the afternoon:  4*3+12 = 24.   ! correct !
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Solved.