volume_mute

Small Business

publish date: 2023/12/03 19:58:58.741346 UTC

volume_mute

Last year, a stylist lost 17 customers who moved away.  If she now has 73 customers, how many did she have originally?

Correct Answer

(1) 90

Explanation

Analyze

  • She lost 17 customers (Given)
  • She now has 73 customers (Given)
  • How many customers did she originally have? (Find)

Form

We can let c = the original number of customers.  To form an equation involving c, we look for a key word or phrase in the problem.

Key phrase: moved away

Translation: subtraction

Now we translate the words of the problem into an equation using a verbal model

  • (The original number of customers) minus (17) is (the number of customers she has now)
  • c - 17 = 73

Solve

  • We need to isolate c on the left side
    • c - 17 = 73
  • To isolate c, add 17 to both sides to undo the subtraction of 17
    • c -17 + 17 = 73 + 17
  • Do the addition
    • c = 90

State

She originally had 90 customers

Check

If the hair stylist originally had 90 customers, and we decrease that number by the 17 that moved away, we should obtain the number of customers she has now.

The result, 90, checks.

Reference

Mathematics for college students

Quizzes you can take where this question appears