the last part of my question is (there were no more characters left):how many nails were there to start with?
2007-09-11 05:39:18 · 4 answers · asked by howmany nals wer ther2 startwid? 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
j = a + 5 so total = 2a + 5
with 5 lost, 2a + 5 - 5 = a-5 + 3(a-5) = 4a - 20, or 2a = 4a - 20, and a =10
so originally there were 25 nails.
2007-09-11 05:49:22 · answer #1 · answered by John V 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
25 nails are split between Jo and Ann. Jo get 15 Ann gets 10 then Ann looses 5 and ends up with 5 while Jo still has 15.
2007-09-11 12:50:03 · answer #2 · answered by Scott 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a + j = x, where a is the nails with ann; j is the number of nails with jo and x is the total no. of nails
j = a+5
therefore x = a+a+5 = 2a+5
When ann loses 5 nails jo has 3 times that of ann, i.e.,
j = 3(a-5)
Therefore x-5 = a-5+3(a-5), i.e., 4a - 20
x = 4a -20+5 = 4a-15
4a-15= 2a+5
4a-2a = 5+15 = 20
a = 10
j = 10+5 = 15
x = 10+15 = 25
Therefore at the beginning, Ann had 10 nails, Jo had 15 nails with a total of 25 nails.
2007-09-11 12:54:38 · answer #3 · answered by Eechhutti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
x = number of nails Ann originally has
x+5 = number of nails Jo has.
When Ann looses 5 nails, Jo has 3 x as many as Ann:
3*(x-5) = x+5 (Jo didn't loose any nails)
3x - 15 = x +5 ---> x = 10
Now total # = x +x+5 = 10 + 10 + 5 = 25
2007-09-11 12:52:27 · answer #4 · answered by nyphdinmd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋