6. Five mark example problems II

In an interschool athletic meet, with a total of $24$ individual prizes, securing a total of $56$ points, a first place secures $5$ points, a second place secures $3$ points, and a third place secures $1$ point. Having as many third-place finishers as first and second-place finishers, find how many athletes finished in each place.

 

Answer:

 

The number of first place finishers is .