Tom uses 10 weight plates each weighing 30 pounds on an exercise machine. This exercise machine uses special technology to make the weights 20% heavier on the lowering portion. How heavy did the weights feel when being lowered?
Let's think: The weight stack weighed 10 * 30 = 300 pounds. So the added weight made it 300 * .2 = 60 pounds heavier. So when he lowered the weight it was 300 + 60 = 360 pounds.. The answer is: 360.

Kevin holds the world record for eating the biggest quantity of hot wings in 8 minutes. He can eat 64 wings without stopping. Alan, a boy who loves hot wings, wants to beat Kevin's record. He is currently able to eat 5 hot wings per minute. How many more wings must he eat per minute to beat Kevin's record?
Let's think: Knowing Kevin's record of eating 70 wings in 8 minutes or 64 / 8 = 8 wings in a minute. Alan must increase his ability to eat 5 wings per minute to 8 - 5 = 3 wings per minute to equal Kevin's world record. To beat Kevin, Alan must eat 3 + 1 = 4 hot wings per minute.. The answer is: 4.

Scott wants to make and freeze a large batch of ratatouille. At the farmers' market he buys 5 pounds of eggplants and 4 pounds of zucchini at $2.00 a pound. He needs 4 pounds of tomatoes that are $3.50 a pound. The onions are $1.00 a pound and he needs 3 pounds. Then he needs a pound of basil which is sold for $2.50 per half pound. If this yields 4 quarts, how much does each quart cost?
Let's think: He buys 5 pounds of eggplants and 4 pounds of zucchini so he buys 5 + 4 = 9 pounds of produce. These 9 pounds are $2.00 a pound for a total of 9 * 2 = $18.00. He needs 4 pounds of tomatoes that are $3.50 a pound for a total of 4 * 3.50 = $14.00. He needs 3 pounds of onions that are $1.00 a pound so that's 3 * 1 = $3.00. The basil is sold by the half - pound and he needs a full pound so that's 2.50 * 2 = $5.00. The eggplants and zucchinis cost $18.00, the tomatoes are $14.00, the onions are $3.00 and the basil is $5.00 for a total of 18 + 14 + 3 + 5 = $40.00. This recipe makes 4 quarts and the total price of the vegetables was $40.00 so each quart costs 40 / 4 = $10.00.. The answer is: 10.

Taylor and his friends decide to bring their pets together for a walk. 3 of his friends come first, each having twice as many pets as Taylor has. Another two of his friends have 2 pets each. If Taylor has 4 pets, what's the total number of pets they have together?
Let's think:
If Taylor has 4 pets, and each of his first friends brings twice as much, the total for each friend is 4 * 2 = 8 pets. The total number of pets for Taylor's first friends is 8 * 3 = 24 pets. The other two friends brought two pets each, a total of 2 * 2 = 4 pets. The total number of pets will be Taylor's pets plus his friend's, which is 4 + 4 + 24 = 32 pets.. The answer is: 32.