The Tampa Bay Bucs have 13 football players and 16 cheerleaders. If 10 football players and 4 cheerleaders quit, how many football players and cheerleaders are left? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. There are 13 - 10 = 3 football players left. There are 16 - 4 = 12 cheerleaders left. In total there are 3 + 12 = 15 football players and cheerleaders left.. The answer is: 15.

Mitchell is trying to chew as many pieces of gum at once as he can. He has 8 packets of gum, There are 7 pieces in each. If he chews all the gum except for 2 pieces, how many pieces does he chew at once? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. The packets have 56 pieces in total because 8 x 7 = 56. He chews 54 pieces because 56 - 2 = 54.. The answer is: 54.

Leila went to the supermarket to get some groceries. Then she headed to her mechanic to get her automobile fixed. If fixing her automobile cost $350 which was $50 more than thrice the amount she spent at the supermarket, how much has she spent altogether? Give the rationale and then the answer.
Let's think step by step. Reversing the steps to obtain the amount she spent at the supermarket, $50 less than $350 is $350 - $50 = $300. If $300 was thrice the amount she spent at the supermarket, then the amount spent at the supermarket was $300 / 3 = $100. In addition to what she spent fixing her auto, she spent $100 + $350 = $450 altogether.. The answer is: 450.