<PRE><B>Question 809238</B>
One whole jar of cookies.   
1 jar.


Katie: {{{1-1/2}}}.
Myron: {{{(1-1/2)-(1/3)(1-1/2)}}}.
Gina:  {{{((1-1/2)-(1/3)(1-1/2))-(1/4)((1-1/2)-(1/3)(1-1/2))}}}.
Nancy and Chelsea: 3 cookies.  Think about these two people a bit before continuing.


If J = the number of cookies originally in the jar, then {{{J(((1-1/2)-(1/3)(1-1/2))-(1/4)((1-1/2)-(1/3)(1-1/2)))=3}}}


The best denomination to use is forty-eighths, or as (1/48).  Rewrite the entire expression for the factor on J in forty-eighths.

(So much text to use... so abbreviating... easier on paper....)


{{{(24-16+4-6+4-2)/48}}}
{{{(32-24)/48}}}
{{{8/48=1/6}}}


The simplified equation then is {{{highlight(J*(1/6)=3)}}}
{{{highlight(highlight(J=18))}}},  eighteen cookies were initially in the jar.


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