Michael has used 1,100 rubber bands because 22 x 50 = 1,100. Michael has 3,900 rubber bands remaining because 5,000 - 1,100 = 3,900. Michael can make 13 large balls because 3,900 / 300 = 13.
The answer: 13
Reverse engineering the question: To keep himself busy in class, Michael makes rubber-band balls. He makes two sizes, large and small. A small ball uses 50 rubber bands. A large ball requires 300 rubber bands. Michael brought a 5,000 pack to class and already made 22 small balls. How many large balls can he make with the remaining rubber bands?

Three less than 5 is 5 - 3 = 2. Since one ton is 2000 pounds, three tons is 2000 * 3 = 6000 pounds. Thus, in 6000 pounds, he can make 6000 / 2 = 3000 pillows.
The answer: 3000
Reverse engineering the question: Teddy is a pillow-maker. He uses 3 less than 5 pounds of fluffy foam material to make each pillow. If Teddy has three tons of fluffy foam material, how many pillows can he make?

It cost 2 * 1.5 = $3 a day. So it cost 3 * 30 = $90 per day. Insurance covers 90 * .4 = $36. So he pays 90 - 36 = $54 a month.
The answer: 54
Reverse engineering the question: John needs to take 2 pills a day. One pill costs $1.5. The insurance covers 40% of the cost. How much does he pay in a 30-day month?

Sam completes a widget every 10 minutes. When Jack helps they finish 2 in 15 minutes. Sam has finished 1 widget and has begun working on another one, and Jack finishes the second one at 15 minutes. So it takes Jack 15 minutes to complete a widget. Sam worked for 6 hours yesterday, so he was able to complete 6 hours * 60 minutes per hour / 10 minutes per widget = 36 widgets. Jack worked for 4 hours, so he was able to complete 4 hours * 60 minutes per hour / 15 minutes per widget = 16 widgets. Sam, Jack, and Tony were able to complete 68 widgets together. So of those, Tony personally completed 68 widgets - 36 widgets - 16 widgets = 16 widgets. It took Tony 8 hours to complete those 16 widgets, so he takes 8 hours * 60 minutes per hour / 16 widgets = 30 minutes per widget.
The answer: 30
Reverse engineering the question:
Sam works at the Widget Factory, assembling Widgets. He can assemble 1 widget every 10 minutes. Jack from the loading dock can help assemble widgets when he doesn't have anything else to do. When he helps, they put together 2 complete widgets every 15 minutes. Recently the factory hired Tony to help assemble widgets. Being new to the job, he doesn't work as fast as Sam or Jack. Yesterday Sam worked for 6 hours before he had to leave work early for a dentist appointment. Jack was able to help out for 4 hours before he had to go back to the loading dock to unload a new shipment of widget materials. Tony worked the entire 8-hour shift. At the end of the day, they had completed 68 widgets. How long does it take Tony to assemble a Widget, in minutes?