Problem Solving

80 bottles of drink are given to a group of people, the remaining number of drinks is 4 less than the number given to each person, which number cannot be the actual number of people in this group?


21 28 14 17 24

Suppose the total number of drinks is given evenly to each person

neilcao wrote:80 bottles of drink are given to a group of people, the remaining number of drinks is 4 less than the number given to each person, which number cannot be the actual number of people in this group?


21 28 14 17 24

Suppose the total number of drinks is given evenly to each person

are you sure you copied the above question correctly. If the info provided is correct then 21,28 and 24 , none of them are possible . and 14, 17 do not make sense either.

In case the no of people in the group =21, then each person gets at most 3 bottles each ...hence it is not possible to have remaining number of drinks = 4 less than the number provided to each person.

neilcao wrote:80 bottles of drink are given to a group of people, the remaining number of drinks is 4 less than the number given to each person, which number cannot be the actual number of people in this group?


21 28 14 17 24

Suppose the total number of drinks is given evenly to each person

let m drink be given to each of the n persons in the group.

remaining number of drinks = 80-mn = m-4

=> m(n+1)=84

question asks, which cannot be n

A. if n=21; m = 84/22 =

B. if n=28; m = 84/29 =

C. if n=14; m = 84/15 =

D. if n=17; m = 84/18 =

E. if n=24; m = 84/25 =

All are fractions - so none could be the actual number of people.

@stormier, don't puzzle yourself - it's done... i just looked back if some one comes with the comment about this

hey man, neilcao please shed the light

stormier wrote:

neilcao wrote:80 bottles of drink are given to a group of people, the remaining number of drinks is 4 less than the number given to each person, which number cannot be the actual number of people in this group?


21 28 14 17 24

Suppose the total number of drinks is given evenly to each person

let m drink be given to each of the n persons in the group.

remaining number of drinks = 80-mn = m-4

=> m(n+1)=84

question asks, which cannot be n

A. if n=21; m = 84/22 =

B. if n=28; m = 84/29 =

C. if n=14; m = 84/15 =

D. if n=17; m = 84/18 =

E. if n=24; m = 84/25 =

All are fractions - so none could be the actual number of people.