Answer:
14
Explanation:
Let's construct an equation for the question and solve it
Let the number of comic books that Joan had in the beginning is
x
In the start she sold half her books (so,multiply by
1
2
)
x
⋅
1
2
Next, she bought
8
more books (so,add
8
)
x
⋅
1
2
+
8
At the last she has
15
books (so,let the equation equal
15
)
x
⋅
1
2
+
8
=
15
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now let's solve the completed equation
→
x
⋅
1
2
+
8
=
15
Subtract
8
both sides
→
x
⋅
1
2
+
8
−
8
=
15
−
8
→
x
⋅
1
2
=
7
Multiply both sides by
2
→
x
⋅
1
2
⋅
2
=
7
⋅
2
⇒
x
=
14
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So Joan started with
14
comic books
Hope this helps !...
:)