CPhill, i'm looking for your answer :) There is a total of 27 quarters stacked in four piles. The first pile has 5 fewer than the second pil

Hmmmm....WHY is this posted THREE times !????

[Q + Q + 4 + Q - 1 +3Q + 12]=27, solve for Q

Q = 2 - Third pile

2 + 4 = 6 - Second pile

2 - 1 = 1 - First pile

6 * 3 = 18 - Forth pile

[2 + 6 + 1 + 18]==27 Quarters.

Let  the second pile  contain  N quarters

Let  the first contain N - 5

Let the third contain N - 4

Let the fourth contain 3N

So

(N  - 5)  + N +  ( N - 4)  + 3N   =27   simplify

6N - 9  =  27       add 9 to both sides

6N   = 36       divide both sides  by 6

N =  6

The fourth contains  3 * 6     =  18