A new cruise ship line has just launched 3 new ships:
the Pacific Paradise, the Caribbean Paradise, and the
Mediterranean Paradise. The Caribean Paradise has 24
more deluxe staterooms than the Pacific Paradise.
The Mediterranean Paradise has 29 fewer deluxe
staterooms than twice the number of deluxe staterooms
on the Pacific Paradise. Find the number of deluxe
staterooms for each of the ships if the total number
of deluxe staterooms for the three ships is 571.

Question

A new cruise ship line has just launched 3 new ships:
the Pacific Paradise, the Caribbean Paradise, and the 
Mediterranean Paradise. The Caribean Paradise has 24
more deluxe staterooms than the Pacific Paradise. 
The Mediterranean Paradise has 29 fewer deluxe 
staterooms than twice the number of deluxe staterooms
on the Pacific Paradise. Find the number of deluxe 
staterooms for each of the ships if the total number
of deluxe staterooms for the three ships is 571.

hero · Answer

P + C + M = 571

C = P + 24
M = 2P - 29

P + (P + 24) + (2P - 29) = 571

4P - 5 = 571
4P = 576
 P = 576/4
 P = 144
 C = 168
 M = 259

anonymous · Answer

Lol, thanks Hero. I feel dumb forgetting that. Oh, nice little avatar.

hero · Answer

Yeah, it's just an avatar.

anonymous · Answer

Yeah, well thanks again. At least I haven't forgotten the y=mx+b formula you showed me a month ago.

hero · Answer

Oh goodie :D

anonymous · Answer

Oh just wait, I am getting ready for something harder.

hero · Answer

Of course you are. The next topic is always more advanced than the previous one.

anonymous · Answer

Especially when you never done it before.

hero · Answer

Yeah, you should cheat and learn the topics beforehand. That way, when the teacher introduces it to you, you'll already know it and she won't be able to surprise or embarrass you anymore.

anonymous · Answer

Polynomials is the next topic.

hero · Answer

How fun :D

anonymous · Answer

I will be hollering for you when I do it lol.

hero · Answer

But..but... you won't need me, cause you're going to learn it ahead of time :P

anonymous · Answer

Uh huh, if I can get past this part.

hero · Answer

I admit, it is kinda tricky in a way. Some people figure out how to do this without the algebra. Some others find that using the algebra is difficult. The rest just don't understand it at all.

hero · Answer

More intuitively, before learning algebra, I was able to figure out the answers using reasoning and trial and error. Now, I just use algebra. I'm pretty sure that after I learned algebra, my reasoning abilty waned greatly. Now I depend on the algebra a lot to answer such questions.

anonymous · Answer

Oh thanks.