Question. John has a donkey and an elephant. The elephant weighs 3 tons (a ton is 2000 pounds). The donkey weighs 90% less. What is their combined weight in pounds?
Answer. 6600
What step-by-step reasoning justifies that answer?
Reasoning: The elephant weighs 3 * 2000 = 6000 pounds. The donkey weighs 6000 * .9 = 5400 pounds less. So the donkey weighs 6000 - 5400 = 600 pounds. That means the combined weight is 600 + 6000 = 6600 pounds.