<PRE><B>Question 154427</B>
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? 
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This is the algebra forum, so algebra is all we know about.
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Let x = Original no. of lilies
Total - sold - threw away = lilies left(given as 2/5 of the total)
x - 80 - {{{1/7}}}(x-80) = {{{2/5}}}x
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Multiply equation by 35 to get rid of the denominators
35x - 35(80) - 5(x-80) = 7(2x)
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35x - 2800 - 5x + 400 = 14x
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35x - 5x - 14x  - 2800 + 400 = 0
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16x - 2400 = 0
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16x = 2400
x = {{{2400/16}}}
x = 150 lilies originally
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{{{2/5}}}* 150 = 60 left
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Check: 
150 - 80 = 70 not sold
{{{1/7}}}*70 = 10 threw away
60 remaineth, which is 2/5 of 150
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