Now, this question (similar to one I just saw in a 5th grade math book) is most definitely not directed at our Mega Math Geniuses. It is not a really hard complicated math puzzle, but nonetheless, it is somewhat tricky. If it were made into a multiple choice question, I bet
a large percentage of you might even rush into picking a “good” wrong answer. In any case, it makes for great mind exercise for anyone at or above the 4th grade level. Teachers can try it on their students, and anyone much older can still use it to sharpen their brain. Especially if you try to solve without formal Algebra, and without using any pen or paper…
Aiden has 85 Pokemon cards. Addison has 90 Pokemon cards. Last week, Aiden traded 17 cards to Addison for 13 of her cards. How many cards did Addison have before the trade?
answers can be entered below, but will be unmasked next week
I believe the answer is 86
It’s gotta be 86, right?
Hard to see why answer is not 86…86 minus 13 + 17–>90!?
Aiden last week had 85 cards. –> x
Addison last week had 90 cards. –> y
So this week it was x – 17 + 13 = 85 and y – 13 + 17 = 90
x + y = 175
So x = 175 – y.
Substituting x into the first equation, we get 175 – y – 17 + 13 = 85
y = 86
Therefore, Addison had 86 cards before the trade. Hence, Aiden had 89.
I hope I’m right.
Sorry about my last post, the “last week” should read “this week”. I apologize for the error.
86
ok no algebra or pen or paper. i do 17-13=4 then 90-4=86. hopefully i got it right
I am probably wrong as I am doing it off the cuff.. but here it goes: 86
addison had 94 and aiden 81 not using a paper makes me nervous, lol.
Surely it’s 86 – what’s the catch that I’m missing?
86, assuming that she has not made any additional trades in the past week. Addison gained 4 cards in the trade.
Addison Had 86 cards before the trade
I believe Addison had 86 cards before the trade and Aiden had 89. Here are the equations I used to find those numbers:
Aiden:
x – 17 + 13 = 85
x = 89
Addison:
y – 13 + 17 = 90
y = 86
86? 86 -13 = 73 + 17 = 90. pretty simple once you get it figured out, just takes a few second to get the order of things, especially with similar names.
Are you smarter than a 4th grader?
Last week Aiden traded 17 cards for 13, or lost 4 cards.
Last week Addison traded 13 cards for 17 cards, or gained 4 cards.
Addison has 90 cards this week, so last week Addison had 86 cards.
That was something easy after trying to unscramble the letters “stripes” for 3 days. If only I had been more “persistent”, maybe the light would have finally come on! :O
89
Is it 86?
aiden – 89
addison – 90
86 is correct. Several non-math people I showed it to had a hard time getting the answer, even with ample time…
I’ve inverted the whole thing, i considered 85 and 90 as the starting situation, not the final one. thats quite tricky, for me at least
86.
hahahaha!!!!
If u think the answer is 90-4=86, is wrong.
Ive calculated the answer is 99.
IF Addison lost 13 and get 4, then the calculate is like this:
90+13-4=103-4=99.
SO, 99-13+4=90
i wonder if i wrong. . . (OR right)
“SORRY im wrong calculation. OH NO
)
And its right who answer 86. (IM a big fail