A 26-mile circular marathon has four checkpoints inside it. The first is one mile from the start line, and the last checkpoint is one mile from the finish line. The checkpoints have equal spacing between them. How many miles apart are each of the consecutive checkpoints between the start-finish line? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. The checkpoints are 1 mile from the start and finish, so they are spaced along 26 - 1 - 1 = 24 miles. There are 4 equally spaced checkpoints, so the checkpoints are 24 / 4 = 6 miles apart.. The answer is: 6.

Brittany is older than Rebecca by 3 years, who is 25. Brittany goes on a 4-year vacation. How old is Brittany when she returns from her vacation? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Brittany is 25 + 3 = 28 years old. Brittany is 28 + 4 = 32 years when she returns from her vacation.. The answer is: 32.

Bill and Ted went into the forest to gather some wild mushrooms. Bill gathered 12 red mushrooms and 6 brown mushrooms. Ted gathered 14 green mushrooms and 6 blue mushrooms. If half of the blue mushrooms, two-thirds of the red mushrooms, and all of the brown mushrooms have white spots, how many white-spotted mushrooms did they gather? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Of the 12 red mushrooms, 2 / 3 had spots, for a total of (2 / 3) * 12 = 8 white - spotted mushrooms. Of the 6 brown mushrooms, 100% had spots, for a total of (100 / 100) * 6 = 6 white - spotted mushrooms. Of the 14 green mushrooms, 0% had white spots, for a total of 14 * 0 = 0 white - spotted mushrooms. And of the 6 blue mushrooms, half had spots, for a total of (1 / 2) * 6 = 3 white - spotted mushrooms. In total, they gathered 8 + 6 + 0 + 3 = 17 white - spotted mushrooms.. The answer is: 17.