How solve it ? How much did the second participant get?

A group of bowling has won the award and $7600 has been divided between three participants, in proportional parts and is in geometric progression. 1,600.00 is the first participant.
How much did the second participant get?

1 Answer
Jan 11, 2018

The second recipient got $2400$2400

This was built using a computer screen. Small screen mobile's mess up the formatting.

Explanation:

Let the geometric term be ar^narn

so we have ar^0; ar; ar^2;ar^3...

Note that r^0 has the same value as 1

Given that ar^0=1600color(white)("d")->axx1=1600

Thus a=1600

It is also given that ar^0+ar+ar^2=7600" "..Eqn(1)

Factor out a giving a(1+r+r^2)=7600

a(1+r+r^2)=7600color(white)("ddd")->color(white)("ddd")1600(1+r+r^2)=7600

Divide both sides by 1600

color(white)("dddddddddddddddddddd")->color(white)("ddd")1+r+r^2color(white)("d.")=(76cancel(00))/(16cancel(00))

Subtract 76/16 from both sides.

color(white)("dddddddddddddddddddd")->color(white)("ddd")r^2+r-60/16=0" "Eqn(2)

Note that (60-:4)/(16-:4)=15/4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(brown)("Now we have a quadratic and only 1 of the solutions to "Eqn(2)" should work in "Eqn(1))

Compare y=0=ax^2+bx+c color(white)("d")->color(white)("d")y=0=r^2+r-15/4

x=(-b+-sqrt(b^2-4ac))/(2a)color(white)("d")->color(white)("d")r=(-1+-sqrt(1^2-4(1)(-15/4)))/(2(1))

color(white)("dddddddddddddddddd")->color(white)("d")r=-1/2+-sqrt(16)/2

color(white)("dddddddddddddddddd")->color(white)("d")r=-1/2+-2

color(white)("DDDDDDDdddddddd")->color(white)("d")r=-5/2 and + 3/2

The -5/2 will not work as 1600xx(-5/2) gives a negative value so it is not logical.

Testing (+3/2)

1600+[1600xx3/2]+[1600xx(3/2)^2]

1600+[2400]+[3600] = 7600" as required"

So the second recipient got $2400