Question

Which equation could be used to solve the question below? Kitty made b cups of dough. She divided the dough into 3 equal clumps. Each of the dough clumps doubled in size. Now, each clump is made of 4 cups of dough. How many cups of dough did Kitty originally make?

Answer 1

Kitty originally made 6 cups of dough.

Explanation:

* Kitty made b cups of dough

*She divided the dough into three equal clumps.

Let these clumps be C1, C2, and C3, such that

C1 + C2 + C3 = b ........................(1)

and

C1 = C2 = C3................................(2)

=> 3C1 = b.....................................(3)

* Each of the dough clumps now double in size.

That is 2C1, 2C2, and 2C3.

* Each clump is made up of 4 cups of dough.

That is

2C1 = 4

2C2 = 4 }........................(4)

2C3 = 4

2C1 = 4

=> C1 = 2 .............................(5)

Using C1 = 2 in (3)

3C1 = b

b = 3×2 = 6

So, Kitty originally made 6 cups of dough.