solving total original total

Question

Three people share a bag of apples. The first person ate 1/3 of the
apples. The second person ate 1/3 of the apples that were left. The
third person ate 1/3 of the remaining apples and there are still 8 apples
left in the bag. How many apples were there in the bag to begin with?

Answer 1

When given a question like this I always find it easiest to work backward from the answer using the opposite operation.

There are 8 apples left. Multiply by 3 since the operation was division(person 3 ate 1/3 ).
Take that answer, multiply by 3 (person 2 ate 1/3)
Take that answer, multiply by 3 (person 1 ate 1/3) to find the final answer.

Always check your answer by going through the question with your answer.....

3 minutes ago | Robert M.

Answer 2

Let A = the number of apples to begin with

• Person 1 ate 1/3 of the apples, so there are (2/3)A left
• Person 2 ate 1/3 of the (2/3)A apples, so there are (2/3)(2/3)A left
• Person 3 ate 1/3 of the (2/3)(2/3)A apples, so there are (2/3)(2/3)(2/3)A = (2/3)³A = 8 apples left

 

(2/3)³A = 8

(8/27)A = 8

 

Solve for A