Question: If Billy sleeps 6 hours one night, then 2 more hours than that the following night, and then half the previous amount the following night, and then finally triple the previous amount the final night, how much did he sleep in that four day period?
Answer with step-by-step thinking: Billy slept 6 hours the first night. He then slept 6 + 2 = 8 hours the second night. Billy then slept 8 / 2 = 4 hours the third night. Finally, Billy slept 4 * 3 = 12 hours the fourth night. In total, Billy slept 6 + 8 + 4 + 12 = 30 hours.
So the answer is 30.

Question: Cora started reading a 158-page book on Monday, and she decided she wanted to finish it by the end of Friday. She read 23 pages on Monday, 38 pages on Tuesday, and 61 pages on Wednesday. She knows she will have time to read twice as much on Friday as she does on Thursday. How many pages does she have to read on Thursday to finish the book in time?
Answer with step-by-step thinking: Let P be the number of pages Cora has to read on Thursday. If she finishes the book by the end of Friday, she will have read 23 + 38 + 61 + P + 2P = 158 pages. The pages she has left to read by Thursday are P + 2P = 3P = 158 - 23 - 38 - 61 = pages. Thus, by Thursday she has 3P = 36 pages left to read. Therefore, to finish the book on Friday, Cora has to read P = 36 / 3 = 12 pages on Thursday.
So the answer is 12.

Question: When Harriett vacuumed the sofa and chair she found 10 quarters, 3 dimes, 3 nickels, and 5 pennies. How much money did Harriett find?
Answer with step-by-step thinking:
She found 10 quarters that are $0.25 each so she found 10 * .25 = $2.50. She found 3 dimes that are $0.10 each so she found 3 * .10 = $0.30. She found 3 nickels that are $0.05 each so she found 3 * .05 = $0.15. She found 5 pennies that are $0.01 each so she found 5 * .01 = $0.05. All total she found 2.50 + .30 + .15 + .05 = $3.00 in change.
So the answer is 3.