SOLUTION: a florist sold 80 stalks of lilies and threw away 1/7 of the remaining stalks of lilies.the florist has 2/5 of the lilies left. how many stalks of lilies were left? ps. do not

Question 154427: a florist sold 80 stalks of lilies and threw away 1/7 of the remaining stalks of lilies.the florist has 2/5 of the lilies left. how many stalks of lilies were left?

ps. do not use algebra but if there is no choice, its okay.
Found 2 solutions by ankor@dixie-net.com, scott8148:
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a florist sold 80 stalks of lilies and threw away 1/7 of the remaining stalks of lilies.the florist has 2/5 of the lilies left. how many stalks of lilies were left?
;
This is the algebra forum, so algebra is all we know about.
:
Let x = Original no. of lilies
Total - sold - threw away = lilies left(given as 2/5 of the total)
x - 80 - (x-80) = x
:
Multiply equation by 35 to get rid of the denominators
35x - 35(80) - 5(x-80) = 7(2x)
:
35x - 2800 - 5x + 400 = 14x
:
35x - 5x - 14x - 2800 + 400 = 0
:
16x - 2400 = 0
:
16x = 2400
x =
x = 150 lilies originally
:
* 150 = 60 left
:
Check:
150 - 80 = 70 not sold
*70 = 10 threw away
60 remaineth, which is 2/5 of 150

Answer by scott8148(6628) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
2/5 is the same as 6/15

if 1/7 of the remaining stalks were thrown away leaving 6/15,
__ then the remaining stalks must have been 7/15
__ 1/7 of 7/15 is 1/15, 7/15 less 1/15 is 6/15 or 2/5

if 7/15 were remaining, then 8/15 were sold
__ 8/15 is 80, so 1/15 is 10

there are 6/15 left, so that is 60 left
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