Question

At a family gathering, pie is served for dessert. At the large table, there are 12 pies and five people. At the medium-sized table, there are 10 pies and 4 people, and at the small table, there are 8 pies and 3 people. The pies are shared equally at each table. At which table would a person get the most pie?

Show how you arrived at your answer.

Answer 1

small table

Explanation:

You want to know where a person would get the most pie if 12 pies are shared by 4 people at the large table; 10 pies are shared by 4 people at the medium table; and 8 pies are shared by 3 people at the small table.

Pies per person

The amount of pie per person is found by dividing the number of pies by the number of people.

Large table

pie/person = (12 pies)/(5 persons) = 2.40 pies/person

Medium table

pie/person = (10 pies)/(4 persons) = 2.50 pies/person

Small table

pie/person = (8 pies)/(3 persons) ≈ 2.67 pies/person

Comparison

2.40 < 2.50 < 2.67

A person at the small table would get the most pie.