puzzle help
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puzzle help
My brother, sister and I are given a bag of sweets. My brother
has first pick and greedily eats two-thirds of them. He hands
the bag to my sister who eats three-quarters of the remaining
sweets. There are just 6 sweets left for me. How many sweets
did the bag contain to begin with?
has first pick and greedily eats two-thirds of them. He hands
the bag to my sister who eats three-quarters of the remaining
sweets. There are just 6 sweets left for me. How many sweets
did the bag contain to begin with?
I'll try again.
You have 6 sweets
Your sister ate 3/4 ie 6 x 3 = 18
Total between you and your sister = 18 + 6 = 24
Your brother ate 2/3 of the original and gave you both 1/3
If 1/3 = 24 then his 2/3 must be 24 x 2 = 48
Total number of sweets was 24 + 48 = 72
If this doesn't make sense then no doubt someone else can explain better.
You have 6 sweets
Your sister ate 3/4 ie 6 x 3 = 18
Total between you and your sister = 18 + 6 = 24
Your brother ate 2/3 of the original and gave you both 1/3
If 1/3 = 24 then his 2/3 must be 24 x 2 = 48
Total number of sweets was 24 + 48 = 72
If this doesn't make sense then no doubt someone else can explain better.
It might help if you think of what's left each time rather than what's been eaten. If brother eats 2/3 he leaves 1/3. Sister leaves 1/4 of 1/3 = 6. So, if 6 = 1/12 of what they started with, they must have had 12 x 6 = 72 at the outset.
Personally, I would have scoffed the lot and there would have been no problem!
Personally, I would have scoffed the lot and there would have been no problem!