Two boxes of apples contain a total of 24 apples. If you halve the number of apples in the first box and add 4 apples to the second box, the total changes to 20 apples. How many apples are in each box initially?

Question

anonymous · Answer

are you supposed to use "systems of equations"?  or can you do anything?

anonymous · Answer

I'm not sure... This is an online pre test I'm taking and it's just kind of like "Here you go, do this." ;_;

anonymous · Answer

if it was me, since the answer is obviously two whole numbers, i would guess and check
for example
lets start with 12 in each
take half of 12, get 6
add 4 to 12, get 16
but 6+16=22, so that is not right
how about 14 and 10?

anonymous · Answer

that doesn't work either, because half of 14 is 7 and 10 + 4 = 14 and $7+14=21$
i bet we get it in the next try 
16 and 8

anonymous · Answer

half of 16 is 8, 8 +4 = 12 and 8+12=20 done

anonymous · Answer

Ok, thank you so very much. ;3; I'm really no good in mathematics, and not even my teacher can help me. ;3;