Question 1183260
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A breeder sold half of his horses, then sold another 2. 
He then sold of his remaining horses then another 2. 
He then had 1 horse left. How many did he have at first.
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            This entertainment problem can be solved mentally,  without using equations.

            The method of solving such problems mentally is to go back from the end to the beginning.



<pre>
In order to better represent the selling process, I will reformulate the problem.


    Step 1.   Sold the half of the horses.

    Step 2.   Sold another 2 horses.

    Step 3.   Sold the half of remaining horses.

    Step 4.   Sold another 2 horses.

    Step 5.   Had 1 horse left.



Now I will move from the end to the beginning.



    (a) Before step 4, he had 1+2 = 3 horses.


    (b) This 3 horses are half of what he had before step 3.

        Hence, before step 3, he had 2*3 = 6 horses.


    (c) Before step 2, he had 6+2 = 8 horses


    (d) These 8 horses are the half of what he had before step 1.

        Hence, initially, the breeder had 2*8 = 16 horses.



<U>ANSWER</U>.  Initially, the breeder had 16 horses.
</pre>

Solved.


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This problem and this method of solution is good to teach very young children (from kindergarten to the 2nd, 3rd or 4th grade).