After gathering 770 chestnuts, the three little girls divided them up so that the amounts were in the same proportion as their ages. As often
as Mary took four chestnuts, Nellie took three, and for every six that Mary received, Susie took seven.
How many chestnuts did each girl get?
Solution to the Problem:
Nellie received 198 chestnuts, Mary got 264 chestnuts, and Susie received 308 chestnuts.We learn from the manner in which the nuts were divided that the girls' ages were in the ratio 9 : 12 : 14.
Let 9x = number of chestnuts that Nellie got
Let 12x = number of chestnuts that Mary got
Let 14x = number of chestnuts that Susie got
Then 9x + 12x + 14x = 770
So, 35x = 770
x = 22
Note that you cannot determine the exact ages of the three girls.
Correctly solved by:
| 1. James Alarie | Flint, Michigan |
| 2. Rob Miles | Northbrook, Illinois |
| 3. Ivy Joseph | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| 4. SreeRoopa Sankararaman | Singapore, Singapore |
| 5. Bob Currie |
R E Campbell Company, Houston, Texas |
| 6. Kelly Stubblefield | Mobile, Alabama |