a train starts full of passengers at the first station it drops 1 / 3 of the passengers and takes 280 more at the second station it drops one half the new total and takes 12 more . on arriving at the third station it is found to have 242 passengers . find the no of passengers in the beginning ?	Choices
A) 292	B) 270	C) 192	D) 144	E) 168

Rationale: let no of passengers in the beginning be x after first station no passengers = ( x - x / 3 ) + 280 = 2 x / 3 + 280 after second station no passengers = 1 / 2 ( 2 x / 3 + 280 ) + 12 1 / 2 ( 2 x / 3 + 280 ) + 12 = 242 2 x / 3 + 280 = 2 * 230 = 460 - 280 = 180 2 x / 3 = 180 x = 270 . so the answer is option b ) 270 .
Answer: B