Question

In a shop, there were 4 times as many guppies as swordtails. After 23 guppies and 27 swordtails were added, there were 83 more guppies than swordtails. What was the total number of fish in the shop at first?

Answer 1

145

Explanation:

Assume the number of sword tails is x. Then the number of guppies is 4x.

After 23 guppies and 27 swordtails were added. Then guppies = 4x+ 23

swordtails = x+27

According to the relation 83 more guppies than swordtails. We can obtain:

`4x + 23 = x + 27 + 83`

4x-x= 27+83-23

3x=110-23

3x=87

x=29

There are 5x fish in total at first.

5x=5*29=145

so the number of fish in the shop at first is 145