MathBrush
←  All problems

Question P5–P6 Repeated identity

Today’s problem — free all day, every step. Every day has one.

Two bakers — cream buns and red bean buns

Mrs Tan and Mr Goh are bakers who each baked the same total number of buns yesterday: 120 buns, made up only of cream buns and red bean buns. Mrs Tan baked 15 more cream buns than Mr Goh. Mr Goh baked 30 cream buns. Each cream bun sells for $1.20 and each red bean bun sells for $0.80. Each cream bun weighs 80 g and each red bean bun weighs 70 g.

  1. (a) Whose buns are worth more in total sales value, and by how much?
  2. (b) What is the total weight of Mr Goh's buns, in kilograms?

See all 7 steps

MathBrush is being tested with a few parent groups, and every solution on the site is open to them — one household, all children. If you were given a code, it goes in once and this device remembers it.

I have a code → See the free ones

65 worked examples are free without a code, two from every pattern. No account, either way.

About this method

Repeated identity

One length or count, described two ways in the same question.

In this one. When two equal totals contain the same two types, match and cancel everything identical; only the 15 buns whose type was swapped can change the total value.

the same edge, measured twicelong tilesshort tilesboth rows end level, so 3 long = 5 short

How to spot it

A shape or count is described from two viewpoints in the same question, such as one edge measured as a number of long pieces and again as a number of short pieces.

Common mistake

Children treat the two descriptions as separate quantities and add them. Both describe the same quantity, so the two must be equal.

Practise a similar question

Challenging Helen and Ivan have the same total number of coins
All 4 with this pattern →
Get the free patterns and skills booklet

Patterns and skills booklet

Worked examples of all 33 patterns and skills, in a booklet you can print.