can you give me an algebreic expression for this problem?

Question

A store has some shirts on a rack. By 12:00, half of them were gone. Then another forth of that was gone by 3:00. Now there are 12 shirts left. How many shirts were there at first?

Answer 1

 

Hello Rosaida

Let X= total number of shirts in the store

Half of it =x/2 by 12.00

Left = x/2 

Forth of left = x/8 gone by 3.00

Total gone by now = x/2 +x/8  =5x/8

Left =( x-5x/8 )=3x/8 =12

 3x/8 =12

x= 32

Best