Question

A fruit basket contains oranges and grapefruits. One-third of the oranges and one-fourth of the grapefruits were spoiled. You threw away 4 oranges and 7 grapefruits. How many pieces of fruit were in the basket?

Please help!

Answer 1

i'd set it up as a system of equations

1/3 = 4/x

this equation is set up as 4 of the oranges are 1/3 of how many oranges? cross multiply to solve.

there were 12 oranges.

1/4 x 7/x

this describes the grapefruits.

there were 28.

28 + 12 = 40 peices of fruit.

Answer 2

x = oranges, y = grapefruits

1/3 of total oranges = 4
1/3x = 4
x = 4 * 3
x = 12 .....12 oranges

1/4 of total grapefruits = 7
1/4x = 7
x = 7 * 4
x = 28.....28 grapefruit

total fruit : 12 + 28 = 40 pieces <==