Answer:
Explanation:
Let's start with the number of pearls in the original string, which we can call "x".
When 1/3 of the pearls are lost, we're left with 2/3 of the original number of pearls:
2/3 x
Of that 2/3, 1/4 is missing:
2/3 x * 1/4 = 1/6 x
So the number of pearls remaining is 20, which is equal to:
2/3 x - 1/6 x = 20
To solve for x, we can simplify this equation by finding a common denominator:
(4/6) * (2/3 x) - (1/6) x = 20
(8/18 x) - (1/6) x = 20
Multiplying both sides by 18 to eliminate the fractions:
8x - 3x = 360
5x = 360
x = 72
Therefore, the actual number of pearls in the original string was 72.