Question

Marla bought 7 boxes. A week later, half of all her boxes were destroyed in a fire. There are now only 22 boxes left. How many did she start with?

Answer 1

Let b represent the starting number of boxes. Then, after her purchase of 7 more boxes, Marla had x+7 boxes, which constitute half of the starting number:

(1/2)(x+7) = 22, or x+7 = 44. Thus, x = 37.

Marla started with 37 boxes.

She purchased 7 more, bringing her count to 44 boxes.

She lost half of these 44 boxes, or 22 boxes, in the fire.

Marla started with 37 boxes.

Answer 2

She should have started with 44 boxes