Answer:
60 ships.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let the total number of ships in the naval fleet be represented by x
One-third of the fleet was captured = 1/3x
One-sixth was sunk = 1/6x
Two ships were destroyed by fire = 2
Let surviving ships be represented by y
One-seventh of the surviving ships were lost in a storm after the battle = 1/7y
Finally, the twenty-four remaining ships sailed home
The 24 remaining ships that sailed home =
y - 1/7y = 6/7y of the surviving fleet sailed home.
Hence
24 = 6/7y
24 = 6y/7
24 × 7/ 6
y = 168/6
y = 28
Therefore, total number of ships that survived is 28.
Surviving ships lost in the storm = 1/7y = 1/7 × 28 = 4
Total number of ships in the fleet(x) =
x = 1/3x + 1/6x + 2 + 28
Collect like terms
x - (1/3x + 1/6x) = 30
x - (1/2x) = 30
1/2x = 30
x = 30 ÷ 1/2
x = 30 × 2
x = 60
Therefore, ships that were in the fleet before the engagement were 60 ships.
