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Maths Problem

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TheChair | 23:46 Wed 01st Nov 2017 | How it Works
27 Answers
Apologies if this is the wrong section, but I can't seem to find a more appropriate one.
My Granddaughter has been given the following maths question, which seems to have a mistake in the question. Anyone any comments, please?
There are two bags which contain some prizes. Each bag has the same value.
A large prize is worth £850
A medium prize is worth £500
A small prize is worth £320
The value of mini prize is unknown.

Bag A contains 1 Small, 1 Medium and 1 Mini
Bag B contains 1 Large and 2 Minis

What is a Mini prize worth?
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>>> The problem isn't so much when teachers make mistakes -- it's how they react to them when they are pointed out.

I never had a problem with that. I used to run the school football teams. On one occasion, due to a mix-up over substitutions at half-time, a parent had to point out to me that our team only had 10 players on the pitch. I also edited the sports page of the school newsletter, so I made sure that the next issue carried the headline "Maths Teacher Can't Count!"

;-)
Question Author
Thanks for all your comments. The consensus seems to be that (as I suspected) there is an error in the question.
Just for your further information, her homework is online - she has to log in to her pupil account and do it on her computer. She sent me the question as a screenshot.
Isn't this a basic simultaneous equation question ?
Yes I'm sure that there are other ways to the solution but that's the eadily understod one I recall from school. Actually looking at it, it's simpler than that.

The vital bit to note is that the bags are of equal value so S+M+x = L+x+x
Solve for x.

So 320 + 500 + x = 850 + x + x
820 + x = 850 + 2x
x = 30 + 2x
x - 2x = 30
-x = 30

An so as some have said the mini prize, i.e. x, is a bill for £30
AND so....
As I typed :-(
Question Author
"so as some have said the mini prize, i.e. x, is a bill for £30".
And, as others have said, a bill for £30 can hardly be described as a prize. :-)
I take it that you have never seen The Chase where the contestant opts to take one step further away from the chaser ? The prize is a bill.
Let us know what the teacher says. It may yet not be a mistake, as opposed to a (deliberately) misleading question.

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