Question

A carpenter has several boards of equal length. He cuts 3/5 of each broads.After cutting the boards the carpenter notices that he has enough pieces left over to make up the same length as 4 of the original board. How many boards did the carpenter star with?

Answer 1

10

Explanation:

Length of boards are the same :

Let number of boards = x

Fraction cut from each board = 3/5

Total fraction cut = 3/5 * x

Fraction left = 1 - 3/5 = 2/5

Total fraction left = 2/5 * x

Total pieces left = 2/5 * x = 4 times length of original board

Note ; original fraction = 1

Hence,

2/5 * x = 4 * 1

2x / 5 = 4

2x = 4 * 5

2x = 20

x = 20 / 2

x = 10

Number of boards = 10