Seven days ago, I put 60 jelly beans in a bowl. Now there are 4 jelly beans left. If I ate the same number of jelly beans each day, how many jelly beans did I eat each day?
The correct answer and explanation is:
You started with 60 jelly beans and after seven days, only 4 jelly beans remain. You ate the same number of jelly beans each day over those seven days.
To find out how many jelly beans you ate each day, first calculate the total number of jelly beans eaten over the seven days. This is done by subtracting the number of jelly beans left from the initial number:
60 (initial jelly beans) – 4 (jelly beans left) = 56 jelly beans eaten in total.
Since you ate the same amount each day over seven days, divide the total jelly beans eaten by the number of days:
56 jelly beans ÷ 7 days = 8 jelly beans per day.
Therefore, you ate 8 jelly beans each day.
Explanation:
This problem involves basic arithmetic and division to determine a daily rate based on a total amount consumed over a fixed period. The total jelly beans eaten is found by subtracting the final quantity from the starting quantity, showing how many jelly beans disappeared during the seven days. Since the daily consumption was equal each day, dividing the total eaten by the number of days gives the daily amount eaten.
This method applies to many real-world scenarios involving equal distribution or consumption over time. Breaking down the problem into these simple steps—finding total change and then dividing by the time period—helps solve it logically and efficiently. The key here is to recognize the constant daily rate, which makes division straightforward once the total consumed is known.
In conclusion, the answer is that 8 jelly beans were eaten each day over the seven days.