Final answer:
To find out how many Pokemon cards Tommy started with, we can use algebraic expressions. Tommy started with 34 Pokemon cards.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how many Pokemon cards Tommy started with, we can use algebraic expressions.
Let x be the number of cards Tommy started with.
Tommy sold half of his cards, so he had x/2 cards left.
After buying 17 more cards, he now has x/2 + 17 = 34 cards.
To solve for x, we can set up the equation x/2 + 17 = 34.
Subtracting 17 from both sides gives x/2 = 17.
Multiplying both sides by 2 gives x = 34.
Therefore, Tommy started with 34 Pokemon cards.