SOLUTION: A basket contains many apples and the apples are divided among six people. One third, one fourth, one eigth, and one fith of the apples are given to the first four people, respecti

Click here to see ALL problems on Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems

Question 570103: A basket contains many apples and the apples are divided among six people. One third, one fourth, one eigth, and one fith of the apples are given to the first four people, respectively. The fith person gets ten apples and the sixth person gets one apple. Find the original number of apples in the basket.
I tried the following: Let A = Original number of apples
x = number of apples given
A= 1/3x + 1/4x + 1/8x + 1/5x + 10 + 1
Next I determined the LCD was 120
A = 40/120x + 30/120 + 15/120x + 24/120x + 10 +1
A = (109/120x + 11)*120
120A = 109x + 11
120A - 11 = 109x
120A - 11/109 = x
If I left the x out of the fractions then I got the following
120A = 109 +11
120A = 120
Please solve, show work and show me what I'm doing wrong.
Thanks,
Norm
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A basket contains many apples and the apples are divided among six people.
One third, one fourth, one eighth, and one fifth of the apples are given to the first four people, respectively.
The fifth person gets ten apples and the sixth person gets one apple.
Find the original number of apples in the basket.
I tried the following: Let A = Original number of apples
:
You don't need x here.
:
A = A + A + A + A + 10 + 1
Find the Common denominators of all these fractions, that would be 120, as you said
A = A + A + A + A + 11
A = A + 11
Multiply both sides by 120, get rid of the fraction
120A = 109A + 120(11)
120A - 109A = 1320
11A = 1320
A = 1320/11
A = 120 apples total