Question 1006333
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A jar contains nickles and pennies. If there are 56 coins in all and the total value is $1.52, How many nickles are in the jar?
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Let me solve the problem by an unusual way,  without using equations.


Let us suppose for a moment that all  56  coins are  pennies. 

Then their value would be  56 cents.  It is less than  $1.52 in &nbsp 96 cents. 

It is clear that the difference is due to presence of  5-cent coins that we intently counted as 1-cent coins.

It is also clear that the number of these  5-cent coins is  {{{96/(5-1)}}} = {{{96/4}}} = 24  to compensate the difference. 

So, the answer is:  there are  24  nickels and &nbsp56-24 = 32  of  pennies in the jar.


The solution is completed.


Surely,  the problem can be solved by reduction to a linear equation,  or to a system of linear equations, 

as it was demonstrated in my lessons on coins in this site 

<A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/word/coins/Coin-problems.lesson>Coin problems</A> &nbsp;and &nbsp;<A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/word/coins/More-Coin-problems.lesson>More Coin problems</A>.


But it also can be solved without using equations, &nbsp;with the use of mental Math only.