SOLUTION: Jonathan counts the change in his piggy bank. He has $ 17 in 10 ¢ and 25 ¢ coins. Knowing that there are 3 times more 25 ¢ coins than 10 ¢ coins, how many 10 ¢ and 25 ¢ co

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Question 1173116: Jonathan counts the change in his piggy bank. He has $ 17 in 10 ¢ and 25 ¢ coins.
Knowing that there are 3 times more 25 ¢ coins than 10 ¢ coins,
how many 10 ¢ and 25 ¢ coins are in the piggy bank?

Answer by greenestamps(13200)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Faulty statement of the problem.

It is most likely not your fault -- you probably showed the problem exactly as it was given to you. However, as shown, the problem has no solution in whole numbers, so it is flawed.

Unfortunately, in everyday English, the phrases "3 times more than" and "3 times as many as" are sloppily used to mean the same thing, but they do not. 3 times AS MANY AS x is 3x; 3 times MORE THAN x is x, plus 3x MORE, which is x+3x = 4x.

If we try to solve the problem as given, then....

x = number of 10 cent coins
4x = number of 25 cent coins

Total value is $17, or 1700 cents:






That calculation does not yield a whole number value for x.

If you correct the wording of the problem to say that there are 3 times AS MANY 25 cent coins as 10 cent coins, then the problem has a reasonable solution.

x = number of 10 cent coins
3x = number of 25 cent coins


...

You can finish from there.


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