Q: Jeremy loves to play Scrabble. He once played a three-letter word on a triple word score to earn thirty points. If before the word score was tripled, the first and third letters were each valued at one point apiece, how much was the middle letter valued at before the word score was tripled?
A: 8
Step-by-step reasoning process: Since the word score after being tripled was 30 points, then the word score before tripling was 30 / 3 = 10 points. If before the word score was tripled, the first and third letters were each valued at one point apiece, then the value of the middle letter was 10 - 1 - 1 = 8 points.

Q: Parker wants to find out what the average percentage of kernels that pop in a bag is. In the first bag he makes, 60 kernels pop and the bag has 75 kernels. In the second bag, 42 kernels pop and there are 50 in the bag. In the final bag, 82 kernels pop and the bag has 100 kernels.
A: 82
Step-by-step reasoning process: In the first bag the proportion that pops is .8 because 60 / 75 = .8. In the second bag the proportion that pops is .84 because 42 / 50 = .84. In the third bag the proportion that pops is .82 because 82 / 100 = .82. The proportions totals 2.46 because .8 + . 84 + .82 = 2.46. The average proportion is .82 because 2.46 / 3 = .82. The average percentage is 82 because .82 x 100 = 82.

Q: Ross takes 17 breaths per minute by inhaling 5/9 liter of air to his lungs. What is the volume of air inhaled in 24 hours?
A: 13600
Step-by-step reasoning process: We have 60 minutes per hour. So, in 24 hours we have 60 * 24 = 1440 minutes. So, the volume of air Ross inhaled in 24 hours is: 17 breaths / minute * 5 / 9 L / breath * 1440 minutes = 122400 / 9 = 13600 liters. The volume of air inhaled is 13600 liters.

Q: To pass the time while she is waiting somewhere Carla likes to count things around her. While she is waiting for school to start on Monday she counts the tiles on the ceiling--38. While she is waiting for everyone to finish their tests after she has handed in hers, she counts the books in the room--75. On Tuesday Carla counts all the tiles twice in a row and she counts the books three times in a row when she has to wait for a long time for the teacher to finish handing out the graded tests. If every time Carla counts something counts as once, how many times has Carla counted something on Tuesday?
A: 301
Step-by-step reasoning process: When Carla was waiting on Monday she counted 38 ceiling tiles and on Tuesday she counted them twice, 38 ceiling tiles x 2 = 76 times she counted a ceiling tile. She also counted 75 books in the room on Monday and counted them three times in a row on Tuesday, 75 books x 3 = 225 times she counted a book. On Tuesday Carla counted the ceiling tiles 76 times + counted books 225 times = 301 times Carla counted something on Tuesday.