Answer: He started with 49 pieces of paper.
Step-by-step explanation:
26 times 2 = 52 pieces of paper;
If Norachai has 26 half-pieces of paper after he finished cutting them in half that means that before cutting he had 52 pieces.
52 - 3 = 49 pieces of paper;
If he had 52 pieces of paper after he added three more, then remove three to get the starting total amount of papers.