Math Problem of the Week - Upper Elementary - Sept. 26, 2021 to Oct. 2, 2021

Upper Elementary: 

Question: Benjamin and Jerry shared a brie and butter baguette for dinner. Benjamin ate ³/₁₀ of the baguette, and Jerry ate ²/₅ of it. The uneaten part of the baguette weighs 4¹/₂ ounces. How many ounces of the baguette did Jerry eat?

Answer:  6 ounces

Solution:  First, we need to know what fractional part of the sandwich is uneaten. Since Benjamin ate ³/₁₀ and Jerry ate ²/₅ = ⁴/₁₀, they ate ⁷/₁₀ of the baguette in total. That means that the remaining ³/₁₀ of the baguette weighs 4¹/₂ ounces. Each tenth of the baguette therefore weighs 4¹/₂ ÷ 3 = 1¹/₂ ounces. So, since Jerry ate ⁴/₁₀ of the baguette, his piece was 1¹/₂ × 4 = 6 ounces.