After first time machine backup half available GB on computer are gone

I did my first backup up to an external HD using Time Machine.  Pre backup my computer showed 713 GB available. After backup my computer showed 334 GB available (less than half pre-backup!) and the external HD showed 713 GB available.  What happened?  Is this normal?

I called Apple Tech support. For anyone interested, here's the explanation I got:
In time machine, when you look at finder windows back in time the "GB available" shows the available space on the external HD, not the Mac HD (even though Mac HD is selected under devices).  The "now" window shows the GB available on the Mac.
In my case: Mac HD info shows a 595 GB capacity; I use 228 GB so I have 367 GB available.  My external HD is 1 TB or about 1,000 GB.  Backing up 228 GB on the external HD should leave about 772 GB available on the external HD.
In Time Machine all past finder windows show a number close to 772 GB available (currently available on the external HD) while "now" window shows 367 GB available (currently available on the Mac HD).
I was worried the backing up somehow changed the available GB on the Mac drastically from 772 to 367 but the Mac never had that much space available in the first place. Backing up has no effect on GB available on the Mac HD no matter how it may appear in Time Machine.
If anyone disagrees with this, please let us know. Thanks to everyone for their input.

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