Ralph goes to the hardware store to buy something for his house. He asks the clerk how much one will cost and the clerk looks it up and tells him it will be $3. He asks about buying twelve and is told it will be $6. Two hundred will cost $9.
A prisoner was brought before the King to be executed. The King was in a peppy mood and asked the prisoner how he would like to die. The prisoner told him and the King laughed heartily. The prisoner was released and sent on his way, alive.
Franklin lent Darlene as much money as she already had, then she spent $10. The next day, Franklin lent her as much money as she now had and again, she spent $10. On the third day Franklin once again lent her as much money as she now had and she spent $10, leaving her broke. How much money did Darlene start with?
$8.75 You may have been tempted to guess $30 because $10 is spent three times, but that would mean she would have had $60 ($30 lent plus the $30 she already had), and $50 after spending $10. The rest of the numbers end up at higher than zero, so we know it has to be less than $30. Even starting at $10 leaves Darlene with $10 on the third day. Starting with $8.75 works out as follows.
A man hiked through the woods with his dog and saw three coyotes, six wolf cubs, seven bunnies, nine squirrels and thirteen chipmunks. How many total feet were there?