Question 1196779
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"1.5 times MORE often" means 2.5 times AS OFTEN.  It's the same as an increase of 150% meaning the new number is 250% of the original.<br>
Using that (and working in thousands of dollars)....<br>
x = # of townhomes
2.5x = # of single-family homes<br>
{{{230(x)+260(2.5x)=16000}}}
{{{230x+650x=16000}}}
{{{880x=16000}}}
....<br>
We still don't get an integer answer....<br>
So, regardless of whether the "1.5 times more often" is (wrongly) interpreted as meaning 1.5 times AS often, or is interpreted correctly as 2.5 times as often, the given information is faulty.<br>
That's pretty sad.  Usually, when a problem uses a phrase like "1.5 times as often" or "3 times more than", only one of the two interpretations yields an integer answer, giving an indication of what the author of the problem really meant.<br>
But in this case neither interpretation gives a valid answer.<br>