Each of the two hoses delivers water at a rate of 2 gallons per minute, for a combined total of 2 * 2 = 4 gallons of water per minute. The other two hoses each deliver water at a rate of 3 gallons per minute, for a combined total of 2 * 3 = 6 gallons of water per minute. Thus, all four hoses deliver a combined total of 4 + 6 = 10 gallons of water per minute. With a volume of 15,000 gallons, it would take 15,000 / 10 = 1500 minutes to fill the pool. Converting to hours, it will take 1500 / 60 = 25 hours to fill the pool.
The answer: 25
Reverse engineering the question: Gentry assembled a new 24 foot round pool in her backyard. To fill the pool with water, she used four hoses. Two of the hoses each deliver water at a rate of 2 gallons per minute. The other two hoses each deliver water at a rate of 3 gallons per minute. With a volume of 15,000 gallons, how many hours will it take to fill the pool?
Reasoning and answer: She caught 8 pounds of catfish because 4 x 2 = 8. She caught 4.5 pounds of catfish because 3 x 1.5 = 4.5. She caught 7.5 pounds of bluegill because 5 x 2.5 = 12.5. She caught 20 pounds of fish because 8 + 4.5 + 12.5 = 25.
The answer: 25
What was the question?
Question: Emily goes fishing and has a very busy day. She catches 4 trout, 3 catfish, and 5 bluegills. If the trout weigh 2 pounds each, the catfish weigh 1.5 pounds each, and the bluegills weigh 2.5 pounds each, how many total pounds of fish did she catch?
If Zack decided to give his three friends 20 marbles each, he gave them 3 * 20 = 60 marbles. If he kept five, Zack initially had 60 + 5 = 65 marbles.
The answer: 65
Reverse engineering the question: Zack's number of marbles can be divided equally among three people, leaving Zack with 5. If Zack decided to give his three friends 20 marbles each and kept five, how many marbles did he initially have?
Reasoning and answer: He spent 10 minutes * 9 cars = 90 minutes washing cars. He spent another 15 minutes * 6 cars = 90 minutes changing oil. He spent 2 cars * 30 minutes = 60 minutes changing tires. He spent 90 minutes + 90 minutes + 60 minutes = 240 minutes working. He spent 240 minutes / 60 minutes = 4 hours working.
The answer: 4
What was the question?
Question: It takes 10 minutes to wash a car, 15 minutes to change oil, and 30 minutes to change a set of tires. If mike washes 9 cars, changes the oil on 6 cars, and changes two sets of tires how many hours did he work?
Tony can skip at twice the speed that Bruce can, for a speed of 1 * 2 = 2 miles per hour. Brandon can skip at one - third the speed that Tony can, for a speed of 2 * (1 / 3) = 2 / 3 miles per hour. Colin can skip at six times the speed that Brandon can, for a speed of (2 / 3 * 6 = 4 miles per hour).
The answer: 4
Reverse engineering the question: Colin can skip at six times the speed that Brandon can. Brandon can skip at one-third the speed that Tony can. And Tony can skip at twice the speed that Bruce can. At what speed, in miles per hour, can Colin skip if Bruce skips at 1 mile per hour?
In June the hobby store sold 21,122 + 3,922 = 25,044 trading cards. Over June and July the store sold 25,044 + 21,122 = 46,166 trading cards.
The answer: 46166
Reverse engineering the question:
The hobby store normally sells 21,122 trading cards per month. In June, the hobby store sold 3,922 more trading cards than normal. If the hobby store sold the regular number of trading cards in July, how many trading cards did the hobby store sell in June and July combined?