John cuts his grass to 2 inches. It grows .5 inches per month. When it gets to 4 inches he cuts it back down to 2 inches. It cost $100 to get his grass cut. How much does he pay per year? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. He cuts his grass 4 - 2 = 2 inches. So he gets it cut every 2 / .5 = 4 months. That means he gets it cut 12 / 4 = 3 times a year. So he pays 100 * 3 = $300 per year.. The answer is: 300.

Rosie pays for a $.44 piece of candy with a $1 bill. If the cashier gives her the smallest number of coins possible as change, how many coins will Rosie get as change? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Rosie will get $1 - $.44 = $.56 in change. She will get 2 quarters to account for $.50 of the change. She will also get 1 nickel to account for $.05 of the change. Then, she will get 1 penny, to account for the last $.01 of the change. She will get 2 + 1 + 1 = 4 coins total.. The answer is: 4.

Mrs. Snyder used to spend 40% of her monthly income on rent and utilities. Her salary was recently increased by $600 so now her rent and utilities only amount to 25% of her monthly income. How much was her previous monthly income? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Let her previous monthly income be p. The cost of her rent and utilities was 40% of p which is (40 / 100) * p = 2p / 5. Her income was increased by $600 so it is now p + $600. The cost of her rent and utilities now amount to 25% of (p + $600) which is (25 / 100) * (p + $600) = (p + $600) / 4. Equating both expressions for cost of rent and utilities: 2p / 5 = (p + $600) / 4. Multiplying both sides of the equation by 20 gives 8p = 5p + $3000. Subtracting 5p from both sides gives: 3p = $3000. Dividing both sides by 3 gives p = $1000.. The answer is: 1000.