Question

38) Mr. Allen's will provided that his wife receive 1/2 of his entire estate and his three daughters would split the other ½ equally. If each daughter's share was $8,000, how much was the value of the estate?

A. $48,000
B. $24,000
C. $32,000
D. $16,000

Answer 1

A. $48,000

Explanation:

If the daughters are getting $8000 and there are three of them, then that half of the estate is 3×8000, or $24,000. So the other half of the estate is also $24,000. The total of the two halves is $48,000

In an algebraic calculation, we might say each daughter gets 1/3 of 1/2 of the estate. If one daughter's inheritance is $8000, and we let x represents the entire estate, then:

(1/3)(1/2)x = 8000

(1/6)x = 8000

(1/6)x(6) = 8000(6)

x = 48,000

The entire estate value is $48,000