Certainly! Let's solve this problem step-by-step:
1. Identify the operations and the values involved:
- John added 23,561 to an initial unknown number.
- Then he added 45,906 to the new sum.
- Finally, the total sum he got was 90,000.
2. Express the operations as an equation:
- Let [tex]\( x \)[/tex] be the number John started with.
- According to the problem, [tex]\( x + 23,561 + 45,906 = 90,000 \)[/tex].
3. Combine the numbers that John added:
- Add the two numbers together: [tex]\( 23,561 + 45,906 \)[/tex].
- The result of this addition is 69,467.
4. Set up the equation with the combined sum:
- Now the equation simplifies to [tex]\( x + 69,467 = 90,000 \)[/tex].
5. Isolate the unknown number (initial number [tex]\( x \)[/tex]):
- Subtract 69,467 from both sides of the equation to solve for [tex]\( x \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[
x = 90,000 - 69,467
\][/tex]
6. Perform the subtraction:
- Subtracting these values gives: [tex]\( x = 20,533 \)[/tex].
Therefore, the number John started with is 20,533.
