Question

Margaret can buy 4 jars of honey for $9, and she can sell 3 jars of honey for $15. How many jars of honey would she have to buy and then sell to make a total profit of $132?

Answer 1

48

Explanation:

We observe that the least common multiple of 3 and 4 is 12. Let's talk about the money Margaret makes on 12 jars of honey.

Margaret's cost for 12 jars of honey is ...

3 × $9 = $27

Margaret's revenue from sales of 12 jars of honey is ...

4 × $15 = $60

So, Margaret's profit on 12 jars of honey is ...

$60 -27 = $33.

The profit we're talking about trying to achieve is $132, which is 4 times $33. So, Margaret must buy and sell 4 times 12 jars of honey to make that amount of profit.

Margaret must buy and sell 48 jars of honey to make a profit of $132.