Lester loves to mow the lawn. It has become a compulsion of his... in fact, he has one shed designated specifically for his lawn mower collection. Unfortunately, Lester's shed is not quite big enough, and 8 of his lawn mowers won't fit. So Lester increases the size of his shed by 50% and then has room for 8 more lawn mowers than the number he owns.
QUESTIONS: How many lawn mowers does Lester own?
2006-07-13 12:15:55 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
My god! Are people particularly mathematically incompetent today?
Answer: 40
( 8 / 25% ) + 8 = 40
8 mowers fit into a quarter of the original shed, thus original shed holds 32; 32 + 8 = 40.
2006-07-13 12:24:07 · answer #1 · answered by Michaelsgdec 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Let x = the number of mowers that Lester owns.
Let s1 = the capacity of current size of the shed (in # of mowers)
This is a two variable, two equation problem.
Equation 1: Current shed fits all but 8 mowers:
(x-8) = s1
Equation 2: new shed (50% bigger) fits all mowers plus 8 more:
(x+8) = 1.5 * s1
So reformatting the equations
x - s1 = 8
x - 1.5s1 = -8
subtract the second from the first:
x - x - s1 - (-1.5s1) = 8 - (-8)
.5s1 = 16
s1 = 32
Then plug that in to either equation:
x - 32 = 8
x = 40
2006-07-13 12:23:58 · answer #2 · answered by Jeff A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
16!
becasue 8 lawn mowers fit in 50% of the shed. So the other 50% has 8 lawn mowers too.
8+8=16
2006-07-13 12:19:35 · answer #3 · answered by brownskirtsandsandals 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
M = The number of lawnmowers
A = The area of the shed
M - 8 = A
M + 8 = A + A/2
Substituting "A" with "M - 8" in the second equation, we end up with this equation.
M + 8 = M - 8 + (M-8)/2
Multiplying everything by 2 we then get
2M + 16 = 2M - 16 + M - 8
After doing the math, we get
M = 40
After you subtract the 8 lawnmowers sitting outside that Lester's meth addicted brother stole, you end up with 32.
2006-07-13 12:36:51 · answer #4 · answered by Kookiemon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
8
2006-07-13 12:19:48 · answer #5 · answered by joe r 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
40. i came to this because you said he now has room for 8 more lawnmowers then he owns. so if he already had 32 in his shed, increased it by 50 % (16) put eight more in, and had room for eight more he would have to have 40 lawn mowers. (must have a huge lawn)
2006-07-13 12:23:48 · answer #6 · answered by daniel_97202 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
24
2006-07-13 12:18:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
24 lawn mowers
2006-07-13 12:22:17 · answer #8 · answered by melaleucath 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
32
2006-07-13 12:19:19 · answer #9 · answered by cowboy109142 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
32
2006-07-13 12:18:20 · answer #10 · answered by Drowningbluestars 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋