Question P6 Number × value
Today’s problem — free all day, every step. Every day has one.
A bakery sells buns and muffins in the ratio of 3 buns to 5 muffins. Each bun costs $2, and each muffin costs $1. If the total value of all buns and muffins is $55, how many buns and muffins are there altogether?
Answer
There are 40 items altogether: 15 buns and 25 muffins. Check: 15 : 25 = 3 : 5, and 15 × $2 + 25 × $1 = $30 + $25 = $55.
One batch repeats. Work out one batch, then multiply.
In this one. Fix one repeating batch from the ratio, find the value of that whole batch, then use the total value to count the batches.
Items are described as a fixed group or ratio that repeats, such as tiles following a pattern, snacks sold in a fixed mix, or a rate given per hour or per item.
Children start from the grand total instead of first working out what one batch is worth. In rate questions they also confuse a duration with a clock time.
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