College Algebra 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1305115546
ISBN 13: 978-1-30511-554-5

Chapter 1, Equations and Graphs - Section 1.6 - Solving Other Types of Equations - 1.6 Exercises - Page 139: 80

Answer

The number of people in the group is $4$.

Work Step by Step

If the group number is $x$ person, the cost per person is $120,000/x$. By increasing the group by one person, the number will be $x+1$ and the cost per person will be $120000/(x+1)$. The new contribution is $6000$ less than the original one per-person. $ 120000/(x+1) = 120000/x - 6000$ $\Rrightarrow (120000/x)-120000/(x+1)=6000$ $\Rrightarrow120000[1/x - 1/(x+1)]=6000$ $\Rrightarrow20[1/x - 1/(x+1)] = 1$ $\Rrightarrow20[(x+1-x)/x(x+1)]=1$ $\Rrightarrow20[1/x(x+1)]=1$ $\Rrightarrow x(x+1)=20$ $\Rrightarrow x^2+x-20=0$ $\Rrightarrow(x+5)(x-4)=0$ $\Rrightarrow x=-5\hspace{0.3cm}{\color{red}{reject}}$ or $x=4$ The number of people in the group is $4$.
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