Question: In January the families visiting a national park see animals 26 times. In February the families that visit the national park see animals three times as many as were seen there in January. Then in March the animals are shyer and the families who visit the national park see animals half as many times as they were seen in February. How many times total did families see an animal in the first three months of the year? Think carefully first, then make a decision:
Animals were seen 26 times in January and three times as much in February, 26 x 3 = 78 times animals were seen in February. In March the animals were seen 1 / 2 as many times as were seen in February, 78 / 2 = 39 times animals were seen in March. If animals were seen 26 times in January + 78 times in February + 39 times in March = 143 times animals were seen in the first three months of the year. So the answer is 143.