Question

Maria bought seven boxes. a week later half of her boxes were destroyed in a fire. There are now only 22 boxes left. with how many did she start.

Answer 1

She started with x boxes.
Then she bought 7 more, so now she has x + 2.
Then half of the boxes were destroyed.
She now has (x + 7)/2.
She has 22 boxes.

(x + 7)/2 = 22

x + 7 = 44

x = 37

She started with 37 boxes.