Ok so I am probably thick, but I don't get dd2's maths homework and neither does she

[MrsMorgan]

The topic is to solve mathematical problems using strategies. They haven't yet done work on this in class so dd2 has no clue what to do and I can't make much sense of it either.

Ram divided 15 pennies amoung four small bags.
He could then pay any sum of money from 1p to 15p without opening any bag.

How many pennies did Ram put in each bag ??

Once the answer is figured out, then dd has to put the answers in a chart showing the combinations required to create each sum of money from 1p - 15p.

[PandaG]

1, 2, 4, 8

1

2

2 and 1

4

4 and 1

4 and 2

4,2,and 1

8

8 and 1

8 and 2

8,2 and 1

8 and 4

8,4 and 1

8, 4 and 2

all of them

[MrsMorgan]

Hang on , we might have cracked it.

[MrsMorgan]

Thanks Panda, we'd just started to figure it out as you posted.

Tis simple once you know how LOL.

[PandaG]

sorry - top line amounts in bags

next 15 - how to get quantities up to 15

how I did it:

obviously one bag needs 1 in, in order to be able to pay 1p without opening the bag.

then thought about next amounts - if have 2p in one bag then first 2 bags satisfy 1,2 and 3p

then how to make 4p - need 4 in one bag - can combine these to make up to 7, only got 8 left and so by adding previously made you can clearly make all combinations to 15

[PandaG]

no problem - I could see it immediately - but I like this kind of puzzle. will now try it out on DS!

[MrsMorgan]

I hate Maths, so my 'omg i can't do this' alarm goes off as soon as I read it.

[katiestar]

like binary