First find the amount of tape each 15 in x 30 in box needs on the short sides: 2 sides * 15 inches / side = 30 inches. Then add that to the amount of tape each 15 in x 30 in box needs on the long side to find the total amount needed per box: 30 inches + 30 inches = 60 inches. Then multiply that amount by 5 boxes to find the total amount needed: 60 inches / box * 5 boxes = 300 inches. Then find the amount of tape each 40 in x 40 in box needs for its three equal length sides: 3 sides * 40 inches / side = 120 inches. Then multiply that amount by 2 boxes to find the total amount needed: 120 inches / box * 2 boxes = 240 inches. Then add the total amount needed for each box size to find the grand total: 240 inches + 300 inches = 540 inches.
The answer: 540
Reverse engineering the question: Brian is taping up some boxes. Each box needs three pieces of tape, one as long as the long side and two as long as the short side. If Brian tapes up 5 boxes that measure 15 inches by 30 inches and 2 boxes that measure 40 inches square, how much tape does he need?
Reasoning and answer: Let P be the number of pages in the first chapter. The second chapter has P + 3 pages. The third chapter has P + 3 + 3 = P + 6 pages. The fourth chapter has P + 6 + 3 = P + 9 pages. The fifth chapter has P + 9 + 3 = P + 12 pages. The whole book has P + 3 + P + 6 + P + 9 + P + 12 = 5P + 30 = 95 pages. Thus, without the 30 extra pages from additional chapters, 5P = 95 - 30 = 65 pages. Therefore, the first chapter had P = 65 / 5 = 13 pages.
The answer: 13
What was the question?
Question: Rita is reading a five-chapter book with 95 pages. Each chapter has three pages more than the previous one. How many pages does the first chapter have?
For breakfast Daisy spent $2 + $4 = $6. For lunch Daisy spent $3 + $5.25 + $0.75 = $9. Daisy spent $9 - $6 = $3 more on lunch than on breakfast.
The answer: 3
Reverse engineering the question: For breakfast, Daisy bought a muffin for $2 and a cup of coffee for $4. For lunch, Daisy had soup, a salad, and lemonade. The soup cost $3, the salad cost $5.25, and the lemonade cost $0.75. How much more money did Daisy spend on lunch than on breakfast?
Reasoning and answer: A single seed costs $.005 because .5 / 100 = .005. It costs $.02 cents to grow an ear of corn because .005 x 4 = .02. On each ear of corn he makes $.098 profit because .1 - .02 = .08. He sold 500 ears because 40 / .08 = 500.
The answer: 500
What was the question?
Question: A farmer is growing corn. For every 4 seeds he plants, he gets one ear of corn, that he can sell for $.1. It costs $.5 for a bag with 100 seeds. If he makes $40 in profit, how many ears did he sell?
20 pounds of fudge at $2.50 / pounds is 20 * 2.50 = $50.00. The 5 dozen truffles were sold in individual units so a dozen is equal to 12 so 5 * 12 = 60. 60 chocolate truffles, at $1.50 each sold for 60 * 1.50 = $90.00. The 3 dozen chocolate pretzels sold in individual units so a dozen is equal to 12 so 3 * 12 = 36. 36 chocolate pretzels sold for $2.00 each sold for 36 * 2 = $72.00. All total, the store made 50 + 90 + 72 = $212.00 from candy sales.
The answer: 212
Reverse engineering the question: A candy store sold 20 pounds of fudge for $2.50/pound, 5 dozen chocolate truffles for $1.50 each and 3 dozen chocolate-covered pretzels at $2.00 each. How much money did the candy store make?
The blue weights weigh 4 * 2 = 8 pounds. The green weights weigh 5 * 3 = 15 pounds. The weights weigh 8 + 15 = 23 pounds. The total is then 23 + 2 = 25.
The answer: 25
Reverse engineering the question:
At a gym, the blue weights are 2 pounds each, and the green weights are 3 pounds each. Harry put 4 blue weights and 5 green weights onto a metal bar. The bar itself weighs 2 pounds. What is the total amount of weight, in pounds, of Harry's custom creation?