Summer’s here, but you’re missing your math? Don’t despair – we’ve got you covered. Check the site each week for one whopper of a word problem that’s sure to challenge!

This week’s problem comes from Primary Mathematics Challenging Word Problems 3, published in 2011 by Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Private Limited. 

Cynthia had $16.75. She withdrew more cash from an ATM before shopping. After spending $17.50 on a box of cookies and $23.40 on a box of chocolates, she had $35.85 left. How much money did she withdraw from the ATM?

Submit your solutions and we’ll post all interesting strategies next week.

Last week’s problem and solution:
Sheela plans to make 245 bookmarks to sell at the funfair. Each day she will make 5 fewer bookmarks than the previous day. She plans to complete making the bookmarks in 7 days. How many bookmarks does Sheela plan to make on the first day?

Whew! How did you do?

Our solution from Shirley Davis!

Summer’s here, but you’re missing your math? Don’t despair – we’ve got you covered. Check the site each week for one whopper of a word problem that’s sure to challenge!

This week’s problem comes from Brain Maths 2 by Tan Thoo Liang, published in 2007 by Panpac Education Private Limited. (For ages 11 and up)

There are 8 people on committee A and 9 people on committee B. If 5 people serve on both committees, how many people serve on only one of the committees?

Submit your solutions and we’ll post all interesting strategies next week.

Last week’s problem and solution:

Two plates and 3 bowls weigh 2 1/5 lbs. Five plates and 6 bowls weigh 4 9/10 lbs. Find the weight of one plate.

Whew! How did you do?

Solutions from our fabulous followers:

Kris Simonson:

Shirley Davis:

Summer’s here, but you’re missing your math? Don’t despair – we’ve got you covered. Check the site each week for one whopper of a word problem that’s sure to challenge!

This week’s problem comes from Math in Focus Enrichment 4A by Ang Kok Cheng, published in 2015 by Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Private Limited.

Two plates and 3 bowls weigh 2 1/5 lbs. Five plates and 6 bowls weigh 4 9/10 lbs. Find the weight of one plate.

Submit your solutions and we’ll post all interesting strategies next week.

Last week’s problem and solution:

A grocer sold a carton of apples to some customers. The first customer tasted one apple and bought half the remaining apples. The second and third customers did the same. The fourth customer also tasted one apple and bought the remaining 23 apples. How many apples were there in the carton at first?

Whew! How did you do?

Once again, reader Shirley Davis submitted a solution: