[lp107]

A Jockey must weigh in at less than 130 pounds. This includes the jockey's weight plus the weight of the blanket, saddle, and bridle. If the combined weight of the equipment is 1/8 of the jockey's weight, what is the maximum a jockey can weigh?

[Curlyben]

Please refer to This Announcement

[Capuchin]

Well, that proportion of the 130 pounds can he weigh, if the equipment is 1/8, how much does that leave for the jockey?

[lp107]

All right... I have tried this (as per your first post) and I have come up with 65... but that seems way to low... I have also gotten 115.5?? I don't know if that second one is right though

[Capuchin]

You didn't answer my question: if the equipment is 1/8, how much does that leave for the jockey?

Just as a proportion.

[lp107]

well... um x+1/8x<130? Is that what you are asking?

[Capuchin]

Okay, say you have a cake. But 1/8 of that cake is your brother's. How much of the cake is yours?

Now say you have a certain weight on a horse. But 1/8 of that weight is the equipment. How much of the weight is left for the jockey?

I hope the answer is obvious now...

[lp107]

7/8 is left for the jockey... I think the answer is 115.5

[Capuchin]

130*7/8 is not 115.5

[lp107]

I know... but 115.5 as an answer is closer to 130 than 113.75... and if you do 130 *7/8... where do the x's come in?? That is a really confusing way to do it... but the answer doesn't make sense

[Capuchin]

What xs? I don't see any xs. How did you get 115.5?

[lp107]

x's an x is what you use in algebra when you don't know a number... so x+1/8x<130... and then I came but with 115.5 because 8(x+1/8x)<130 and then 9x<1040 divided by nine, so x is 115.5

[Capuchin]

The way you worked it out there calculates 8/9 of 130. Do you not think that 7/8 makes more sense?

[lp107]

Thanks for your help! Night!