There was an equal number of stools and desks in the morning. At 2 p.m., some stools were added and some desks were removed, resulting in the number of stools being increased by 20% while the number of desks decreased by 20%. At 6 p.m. the number of stools increased by 50%. If a total of 36 stools were added during the day, how many more stools than desks were there in the end?

At 2 p.m.	Stools	Desks
Before	1 u	1 u
Change	+ 0.2 u	- 0.2 u
After	1.2 u	0.8 u

At 6 p.m.	Stools	Desks
Before	1.2 u	0.8 u
Change	+ 0.6 u	No change
After	1.8 u	0.8 u

Number of stools added
= 20% x 1 u
= ²⁰₁₀₀ x 1 u
= 0.2 u

Number of desks removed
= 20% x 1 u 
= ²⁰₁₀₀ x 1 u
= 0.2 u

Number of stools increased by stools at 6 p.m.
= 50% x 1.2 u
= ⁵⁰₁₀₀ x 1.2 u
= 0.6 u

Number of stools added during the day
= 1.8 u - 1 u
= 0.8 u

0.8 u = 36

1 u = 36 ÷ 0.8 = 45

Number of more stools than desks in the end
= 1.8 u - 0.8 u
= 1 u
= 1 x 45
= 45

Answer(s): 45