Question: Stan weighs 5 more pounds than Steve. Steve is eight pounds lighter than Jim. If Jim weighs 110 pounds and the three of them crowd onto a scale at the same time, what is their total weight?
Answer with step-by-step thinking: Steve weighs 110 - 8 = 102 pounds. Stan weighs 102 + 5 = 107 pounds. Their total weight is 102 + 107 + 110 = 319 pounds.
So the answer is 319.


Question: 240 sixth-grade students were asked about the number of novels they read per month. 1/6 of students read three or more novels, 35% of students read two novels, 5/12 of students read one novel, and the rest of the students do not read anything. Calculate the number of students who do not read novels.
Answer with step-by-step thinking: 1 / 6 * 240 students = 40 students. So 40 students read three or more novels. 35 / 100 * 240 students = 84 students. So 84 students read two novels. 5 / 12 * 240 students = 100 students. So 100 students read a novel. 240 students – (40 students + 84 students + 100 students) = 240 students – 224 students = 16 students. So 16 students don't read novels.
So the answer is 16.


Question: Kris is blowing u balloons for her sister’s party. She has 30 minutes to blow up as many balloons as possible and decides to enlist her brother’s help to increase the number of balloons. Kris can blow up a total of 2 balloon per minute, and her brother works twice as fast. After 15 minutes, her brother doubles his speed and works at this new speed for the remaining 15 minutes. After the 30 minutes, how many balloons, in total, did Kris and her brother blow up?
Answer with step-by-step thinking:
Throughout the 30 minutes, Kris blows up 2 balloons per minute * 30 minutes = 60 balloons. Her brother works at double Kris' speed in the first 15 minutes so he works at 2 balloons per minute * 2 = 4 balloons per minute. So in the first 15 minutes, he blows up 4 balloons per minute * 15 minutes = 60 balloons. In the second 15 minutes, he is working at double the rate he did previously, so he blows up 4 balloons per minute * 2 = 8 balloons per minute. In the second 15 minutes, Kris’ brother therefore blows up 8 balloons per minute * 15 minutes = 120 balloons. Throughout the 30 minutes, he has blown up a total of 60 + 120 = 180 balloons. Kris and her brother therefore blew up a total of 60 balloons from Kris + 180 balloons from Kris’ brother = 240 balloons.
So the answer is 240.