Math Word Problem

[lindsey1127]

Hi can someone confirm if I got the correct answer for this word problem.
after a day of picking strawberries, mark had a basketful. he ate 5 and gave tyler half of the remaining. mark then ate another 3 and gave beth one third of the remaining. mark ate another 6 and then gave nicky two thirds of the remaining. mark now has 34 strawberries left. how many did he start with?
My answer that I came up with is 353
Reasoning started backwards and when I checked it seems to work out. He is my checking work
after he ate 5, left with 348 and then gave 1/2 away so then left with 174
Then ate 3, so had 171 and gave 1/3 of that away so left with 57
Then ate 6 and left 51 and giving 2/3 away leaves him with 34.
Please let me know if you agree 353 is the correct answer

 

[Romsek]

I get 335 berries originally.

[MATH]34 = \left(\left(\dfrac{n-5}{2}-3\right)\dfrac 2 3 - 6\right)\dfrac 1 3\\ 102 = \left(\dfrac{n-5}{2}-3\right)\dfrac 2 3 - 6 \\ 108 = \left(\dfrac{n-5}{2}-3\right)\dfrac 2 3\\ 162 = \left(\dfrac{n-5}{2}-3\right) \\ 165 = \dfrac{n-5}{2}\\ 330=n-5\\ n=335 [/MATH]

 

[Deleted member 4993]

Hi can someone confirm if I got the correct answer for this word problem.
after a day of picking strawberries, mark had a basketful. he ate 5 and gave tyler half of the remaining. mark then ate another 3 and gave beth one third of the remaining. mark ate another 6 and then gave nicky two thirds of the remaining. mark now has 34 strawberries left. how many did he start with?
My answer that I came up with is 353
Reasoning started backwards and when I checked it seems to work out. He is my checking work
after he ate 5, left with 348 and then gave 1/2 away so then left with 174
Then ate 3, so had 171 and gave 1/3 of that away so left with 57
Then ate 6 and left 51 and giving 2/3 away leaves him with 34.
Please let me know if you agree 353 is the correct answer

You say:

...... left 51 and giving 2/3 away leaves him with 34 (he would have given away 34 from 51).

If Mark gives away 2/3 - from 51 - he will be left with 1/3 - and that will be 17 (not 34).

Try again.....

 

[Harry_the_cat]

Hi can someone confirm if I got the correct answer for this word problem.
after a day of picking strawberries, mark had a basketful. he ate 5 and gave tyler half of the remaining. mark then ate another 3 and gave beth one third of the remaining. mark ate another 6 and then gave nicky two thirds of the remaining. mark now has 34 strawberries left. how many did he start with?
My answer that I came up with is 353
Reasoning started backwards and when I checked it seems to work out. He is my checking work
after he ate 5, left with 348 and then gave 1/2 away so then left with 174
Then ate 3, so had 171 and gave 1/3 of that away so left with 57 if he gave 1/3 away, he would have 171-57=114 left
Then ate 6 and left 51 and giving 2/3 away leaves him with 34 you've made a similar mistake here confusing what he gave away with what he has left
Please let me know if you agree 353 is the correct answer

No not correct, see comments in red

 

[Dr.Peterson]

Hi can someone confirm if I got the correct answer for this word problem.
after a day of picking strawberries, mark had a basketful. he ate 5 and gave tyler half of the remaining. mark then ate another 3 and gave beth one third of the remaining. mark ate another 6 and then gave nicky two thirds of the remaining. mark now has 34 strawberries left. how many did he start with?
My answer that I came up with is 353
Reasoning started backwards and when I checked it seems to work out. He is my checking work
after he ate 5, left with 348 and then gave 1/2 away so then left with 174
Then ate 3, so had 171 and gave 1/3 of that away so left with 57
Then ate 6 and left 51 and giving 2/3 away leaves him with 34.
Please let me know if you agree 353 is the correct answer

In line with the mistakes that have been pointed out, you may find it helpful to restate the problem this way before working backward:

after a day of picking strawberries, mark had a basketful. he ate 5 and kept half of the remaining. mark then ate another 3 and kept two thirds of the remaining. mark ate another 6 and then kept one third of the remaining. mark now has 34 strawberries left. how many did he start with?​

Does that help?

 

[lindsey1127]

Thank you! Makes sense, I was calculating what was being given away! Appreciate the help!