There were 16 penguins on the ice at the start.
An equation is an expression that shows the relationship between two or more numbers and variables.
Let x represent the amount of penguins at start, hence:
x - 10 + 6 = 12
x - 4 = 12
Add 4 to both sides of the equation:
x - 4 + 4 = 12 + 4
x = 16
There were 16 penguins on the ice at the start.
Find out more on equation at: https://brainly.com/question/2972832