In the post-apocalyptic wasteland, 1 lizard is worth 8 bottle caps, 3 lizards are worth 5 gallons of water, and 1 horse is worth 80 gallons of water. Marla can scavenge for 20 bottle caps each day, but needs to pay 4 bottle caps per night for food and shelter. How many days does it take Marla to collect all the bottlecaps she needs to buy a horse? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. First find how many lizards you get for one gallon of water: 3 lizards / 5 gallons = .6 lizards / gallon. Then figure out how many lizards 80 gallons of water is worth: 80 gallons * .6 lizards / gallon = 48 lizards. Then figure out how many bottle caps 48 lizards is worth: 48 lizards * 8 bottle caps / lizard = 384 bottle caps. Then figure out how many bottle caps Marla can save each day by subtracting the number she spends from the number she finds: 20 bottlecaps / day - 4 bottlecaps / day = 16 bottlecaps / day. Finally, divide the number of bottle caps Marla needs by the number she saves each day: 384 bottle caps / 16 bottle caps / day = 24 days.. The answer is: 24.

A professional company is hiring for a new position. They have two qualified applicants. The first applicant will accept a salary of $42000 and make the company $93000 in the first year, but needs 3 months of additional training that costs $1200 a month. The second applicant does not need training and will make the company $92000 in the first year, but is requesting a salary of $45000 and a hiring bonus of 1% of his salary. Less the amount it will cost to pay for each candidate, how many more dollars will one candidate make the company than the other in the first year? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. The first candidate’s training will cost 1200 * 3 = $3600. That candidate will make the company 93000 - 42000 - 3600 = $47400 in the first year. The second candidate’s bonus will cost 45000 * 1 / 100 = $450. That candidate will make the company 92000 - 45000 - 450 = $46550 in the first year. Thus, the first candidate will make the company 47400 - 46550 = $850 more in the first year.. The answer is: 850.

Nina made a two-layer cake and a dozen cupcakes for her friend’s birthday party. Each layer of cake takes the same amount of sugar to make as a dozen cupcakes. Nina used 720 grams of sugar to bake everything. How many grams of sugar are in one cupcake? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Nina made 2 cake layers which were equal to 2 x 12 = 24 cupcakes. She made the equivalent of 24 + 12 = 36 cupcakes in all. Thus, there are 720 / 36 = 20 grams of sugar in a cupcake.. The answer is: 20.