Brain Teasers
Apple Picking
Three people picked 65 apples altogether. At the first tree they each picked the same number of apples. At the second tree they each picked 3 times as many as they picked at the first tree. When they finished at the third tree, the group had 5 times as many apples as they had when they started at that tree. At the fourth tree the group picked just 5 apples.
How many apples did each person pick at the first tree?
How many apples did each person pick at the first tree?
Hint
Work backwards to see how many apples were picked at the last two trees or use algebra.Answer
Each person picked 1 apple at the first tree.Begin with 65 apples picked, and work backwards. Subtract the number of apples picked at the fourth tree (5), and then divide the total (60) by 5 to equal the number of apples picked after the first two trees. The total after the first two trees = 12. Since the number of apples picked at the first two trees (12) is equal to the number of apples picked at the first tree plus 3 times the number picked at the first tree (or a total of 4 times the number picked at the first tree), then the number of apples picked at the first tree must be 12 divided by 4 = 3. Therefore, each person picked 1 apple at the first tree.
Using algebra: Suppose they pick y apples at the first tree. Then, they pick 3y apples at the second tree and have 4y apples altogether. After the third tree, they have 5X4y or 20y apples, and after the fourth tree, they have 20y + 5 apples.
20y + 5 = 65
20y = 60
y = 3
So each person picks 1 apple at the first tree.
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Comments
Trick question! The group picks 65 apples as a whole and we don't know how many people are in the group so we can't figure out how many each member picked.
The question states 3 people. Pretty straight forward teaser, but fun!
pretty easy if you know your math
I got it!!!!
Good one.
Making the equation work out to 1 makes it easy. Whenever I read this type of a teaser I start by using one as reference point. so, i got this one without having to think
Making the equation work out to 1 makes it easy. Whenever I read this type of a teaser I start by using one as reference point. so, i got this one without having to think
So near and yet so far. Got back to 3 apples picked at first tree, but didn't read the question properly. Just needed to divide by three.
nice teaser!!
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