[LMB] AKICOTL: very OT - interpreting an algebra question

[David Bernat]

"Becca" <becca_price at yahoo.com> wrote:

>I am, for reasons that escape me at the moment, taking a
>beginning Algebra class (I never mastered it before, and it
>seemed like a good idea at the time to try again). We're at a
>point where we're learning to interpret story problems, and one
>in my homework for Monday is a real doozy. I spent about an hour
>and a half in the math tutoring room on Wednesday last, and the
>tutor and I couldn't figure out how they got the answer (given
>in the back of the book, so we can check our work.).
>
>The question is:
>
>"Polls indicate that 66% of all adults have Internet access.
>About 25% more online adults access the Internet from home than
>from work. If 15% go online from other locations (not work or
>home), what is the percent of online adults accessing the
>internet from home? What is the percent of online adults
>accessing the Internet from work?"
>
>The answer given in the back of the book is 38% from home and
>13% from work.
>
>can someone explain to me how they got that answer? I'm totally
>baffled. I got all the rest of them right, but this one is
>escaping me.

As I understand it, the equation is X+X+25+15=66. 2X+25=51. X=13.
X+25=38.