Question

A grocer prepares free samples of a salad to give out during the day. By lunchtime, the grocer has given out 5 fewer than half the total number of samples. How many samples did the grocer prepare if she gives out 50 samples before lunch?

Answer 1

The grocer prepared total 110 samples.

Explanation

Suppose, the total number of samples the grocer prepared is  $x$

By lunchtime, the grocer has given out 5 fewer than half the total number of samples. So, the number of samples given out by lunchtime $= \frac{1}{2}x -5$

Now, it is given that she gives out 50 samples before lunch. That means...

$\frac{1}{2}x -5 =50\\ \\ \frac{1}{2}x=5+50\\ \\ \frac{1}{2}x=55\\ \\ x=55*2=110$

So, the total number of samples the grocer prepared is 110.