Question

In a naval engagement, one-third of the fleet was captured, one-sixth was sunk, and two ships were destroyed by fire. One-seventh of the surviving ships were lost in a storm after the battle. Finally, the twenty-four remaining ships sailed home. How many ships were in the fleet before the engagement?

Answer 1

60 ships.

Explanation:

Let the total number of ships in the naval fleet be represented by x

One-third of the fleet was captured = 1/3x

One-sixth was sunk = 1/6x

Two ships were destroyed by fire = 2

Let surviving ships be represented by y

One-seventh of the surviving ships were lost in a storm after the battle = 1/7y

Finally, the twenty-four remaining ships sailed home

The 24 remaining ships that sailed home =

y - 1/7y = 6/7y of the surviving fleet sailed home.

Hence

24 = 6/7y

24 = 6y/7

24 × 7/ 6

y = 168/6

y = 28

Therefore, total number of ships that survived is 28.

Surviving ships lost in the storm = 1/7y = 1/7 × 28 = 4

Total number of ships in the fleet(x) =

x = 1/3x + 1/6x + 2 + 28

Collect like terms

x - (1/3x + 1/6x) = 30

x - (1/2x) = 30

1/2x = 30

x = 30 ÷ 1/2

x = 30 × 2

x = 60

Therefore, ships that were in the fleet before the engagement were 60 ships.