Question 1185291
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Sometimes problems like this are easier to work "forwards", as the other tutors did; sometimes they are easier to work backwards.<br>
This problem seems much easier to work backwards.<br>
Each time someone takes "and 1/4 of a pancake", working backwards that adds 1/4 pancake to the total.<br>
And each time someone takes 3/4 of the remaining pancakes, it means he left 1/4 of the remaining pancakes, so working backwards it mean multiplying the number of pancakes by 4.<br>
So....<br>
At the end: 6 pancakes
Before the last time 1/4 pancake was taken: 6+1/4 = 6 1/4
Before the last time 3/4 of the pancakes were taken: 4*(6 1/4) = 25
Before the last time 1/4 pancake was taken: 25+1/4 = 25 1/4
Before the last time 3/4 of the pancakes were taken: 4*(25 1/4) = 101<br>
ANSWER: There were 101 pancakes originally<br>