How many apples are in the basket?

Question

Apples are collected in a basket for 3 people 1/8 of the apples are give to the 1st person, 1/2 of the apples are given to the 2nd person, the 3rd person gets 12 apples.  How many apples are in the basket? 

Answer 1

Let x be the number of apples in the basket.

 

Person 1 = x/8

Person 2 = x/2

Person 3 =12

 

P1 + P2 +P3 = x

x/8 + x/2 + 12 = x

x/8 + 4x/8 + 96/8 = 8x/8

x + 4x + 96 = 8x

96 = 3x

x=32

 

Plug that in to check your answer/

 

32/8 + 32/2 + 12 =32

4 + 16 + 12 = 32

32 = 32