9514 1404 393
Answer:
11 cartons
Step-by-step explanation:
By shipping all 96 boxes as large boxes, the merchant will have shipped
(96 boxes)/(8 boxes/large carton) = 12 large cartons*
He can ship as many boxes in 4 cartons of small boxes as in 5 cartons of large boxes. So trading 5 cartons of large boxes for 4 cartons of small boxes, he can reduce the number of cartons shipped by 1.
The merchant shipped 11 cartons:
7 cartons of large boxes (56 large boxes)
4 cartons of small boxes (40 small boxes)
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Any further such trade would reduce the number of large boxes to fewer than small boxes, violating the problem constraint.
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* In this expression, we use the term "large carton" to mean "carton of large boxes".
