A boy squirrel gathers 6 walnuts and carries them to his burrow in the tree, adding to the 12 already there, and dropping 1 on the way. The girl squirrel brings 5 more walnuts to their burrow and eats 2. How many walnuts are left? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. With the boy's contribution, there are 12 + 6 = 18 walnuts. When he drops 1, now they have 18 - 1 = 17 walnuts. The girl adds to their stash, making the count 17 + 5 = 22 walnuts. When the girl eats 2, the final count is 22 - 2 = 20 walnuts.. The answer is: 20.

In Grade 4, there are two sections -- Diligence and Industry. The two sections have an equal number of students after 2 students were transferred from section Industry to Diligence. How many students were there in section Diligence before the transfer if, in both sections combined, there are a total of 50 students? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. There are 50 / 2 = 25 students in each section now. So, there were 25 - 2 = 23 students in section Diligence before 2 students were transferred in their section.. The answer is: 23.

For every black & white cookie that Elsa makes, she has to make the batter, bake the cookies for 15 minutes and then allow to cool. She then has to dip the cookies in white icing and allow the icing to harden for 30 minutes. Then she has to re-dip them in chocolate icing and allowed to harden for an additional 30 minutes. If it takes her 2 hours to make the cookies from start to finish, how long does it take to make the dough and cool the cookies before she can start dipping them? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. It takes 15 minutes to bake, 30 minutes for the white icing to harden and 30 minutes for the chocolate icing to harden so it takes 15 + 30 + 30 = 75 minutes. Every hour has 60 minutes and it takes her 2 hours so it takes 60 * 2 = 120 minutes to make the cookies. It takes 120 minutes to make the cookies from start to finish and she spends 75 minutes baking and hardening icing so it takes her 120 - 75 = 45 minutes to make the batter and cool the cookies.. The answer is: 45.