SOLUTION: Mr.Samuels has 150 pennies in two jars. There are 40 more pennies in one jar than in the other. How many pennies are in each jar? I think it might be 150 div by 2 equals 75, t

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Question 171291: Mr.Samuels has 150 pennies in two jars. There are 40 more pennies in one jar than in the other. How many pennies are in each jar?
I think it might be 150 div by 2 equals 75, then take 75 plus 40 equals 115, so one jar would have 35 pennies and the other jar would have 115, because you would take 75 plus 40 equals 115 and then add the 35 from the other jar and get 150 pennies total. Is this correct?
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
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No, not correct because the difference between 115 and 35 is 80, not 40 as stated in the problem.

Try this:

Let be the number of pennies in the jar with the smaller number of pennies. That means that is the number of pennies in the other jar.

We know that because the problem says there are 150 pennies in the two jars.

So:

So there are 55 pennies in one jar and 95 pennies in the other jar.

55 + 95 = 150

and

95 - 55 = 40

Satisfying both parts of the problem statement.

You could have also approached it this way:

Since one of the jars has 40 more pennies than the other, if you take 40 pennies out of the jar with the greater number, then the two jars would then have the same amount in them. But since you have taken 40 pennies away, you only have 110 remaining in the now equal sized jars. That means that each of the jars would have 55 -- that being the original number of pennies in the jar with the lesser amount. The 40 you took away from the other jar can now be added back to give a total in the jar with the greater number of 95.

Heck of a lot of trouble for a buck and a half, if you ask me.