a string of pearls such that 1/3 is lost and of that 1/4th is missing, remaining is 20 then actual number of pearls?ans. 40

answer is 48 not 40......... 16 are lost and 12 are missing.....

Let total Number of pearls be x

number of pearls lost = x/3

number of pearls missing = x/4

remaining = 20

==>  x = x/3 + x/4 + 20

==> x = (4x+3x)/12 + 20

==> x = (7x + 240) / 12

==> 12x = 7x + 240

==> 5x = 240

==> x = 240/5 = 48 !!

therefore total number of pearls originally is 48 !