Math Is Fun Forum

ilovealgebra

Member

Registered: 2006-10-02

Posts: 40

help with algebra question!

At the Olympic Games 40 years ago, the average number of competitors per sport was 5 times the number of sports played.

In 2004 there were 10 more sports than there were 40 years ago. In 2004 the average number of competitors per sport was 3.5 times greater than 40 years ago. At the 2004 Olympic Games there were 10500 competitors.

Write at least one equation to model this situation. Use the model to find the number of sports played at the Olympic Games 40 years ago.

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luca-deltodesco

Member

Registered: 2006-05-05

Posts: 1,470

Re: help with algebra question!

if you let x be the number of competitors, and y the number of sports played 40 years ago

you have x = 5y (since 5 per sport)
in 2004, there are 10 more sports (y+10) and 3.5 more per sport, i.e. x = 3.5*5*(y+10) = 10500

17.5(y+10) = 10500
17.5y + 175 = 10500
17.5y = 10325
y = 590.

so 40 years ago, there were 590 sports played

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