the question is Alyssa ate 3 more than 1/2 as many candy corns as Hayley. If Alyssa ate 17 candy corn, find the number of candy corn Hayley ate?

Question

First I thought to do 17-3=14
14x2=28
This was my first thought but then I wondered if you multiplied first
17x2=34 and then adding the +3
giving you 37
I think the first way is the correct way but I am not sure.
Can you help verify which step would be done first?
thanks

Answer 1

If Hayley ate h, then since we know Alyssa ate 17,

h/2 + 3 = 17
h/2 = 14
h = 28

Alyssa ate 3 more than 14, which is half of 28

Your first way was correct.

You should have gotten a bad feeling about 37 right away, since 1/2 of 37 is not a whole number.

Answer 2

I didn't think the second way was right. Thanks for clarifying it for me.