Final answer:
To determine the original number of Christmas cards, we can use the equation (1/4) * x + 14 = 65, where x is the original number. After solving, we find that there were 204 cards originally before some were destroyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to determine how many Christmas cards were originally made before some were destroyed by Bruno and Boostie. Since we are given that 3/4ths of the cards were chewed up and that only 14 could be remade, we understand that these 14 new cards plus the remaining 1/4th of the original cards equals 65, the total number of cards brought to school. To find out the number of original cards, we can set up an equation and solve for the total before the incident occurred.
We can let the total number of original cards be represented by x. Since 3/4ths were destroyed, 1/4th were left, so (1/4) × x plus the 14 new cards equals 65. The equation would be:
(1/4) × x + 14 = 65
First, subtract 14 from both sides to isolated (1/4) × x on one side of the equation:
(1/4) × x = 65 - 14
(1/4) × x = 51
Then, to find x, multiply both sides by 4:
x = 51 × 4
x = 204
So, originally there were 204 Christmas cards before Bruno and Boostie chewed them up.