During an amorous struggle, the lady's pearls broke. Half of the pearls fell onto the floor, a fourth rolled under a chair, a sixth fell into her lap, and three pearls remained on the strain. How many pearls were there originally on the strand?

Answer 1

total number ---- x

x/2 + x/4 + x/6 + 3 = x
multiply each term by 12, the LCD
6x + 3x + 2x + 36 = 12x

solve for x