need help on a word problem..please

Question

In the first month, ten thousand, forty-two students used the library. In the second month, 4 times this number used the library. In the second month, 4 times this number used the library. In the third month, only four thousand, seventy-five students used the library. How many students used the library in all?

Answer 1

Hello Mel!

For the sake of ease in this problem you’ve submitted, let’s assign variables of “A” for the first month, “B” for the second month, and “C” for month three.

It looks like you’ve got some repetition above, but given what you’ve shared, I’m going to posit that

A = 10,042
B = 4 x A = 4 (10,042) = 40,168
C = 4,075

Can you see now how to arrive at the answer for the total number of students who used the library in those three months? 

I hope this helps!