Candy Math: How Many Candies Do You Have Now?

A classic scenario often found in children's stories and lessons involving candies makes for a fantastic example of real-world mathematics! Let's delve into this interesting problem and solve it together.

Problem Statement

Imagine you start with 50 pieces of candy. But your sister comes along and eats 10 of them. Naturally, you're left with fewer candies than you initially had. But then, a twist in the story: your dad buys you 3 dozens of candies. Wait, there's more! Before you receive them, someone else has already eaten half of these new 36 pieces of candy.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Initial Amount and Consumption

Let's begin with your initial count of candies.

You start with 50 candies. Your sister eats 10 candies.

How many candies do you have after your sister's surprise snack?

50 (initial) - 10 (your sister) 40 candies

Step 2: Dad's Purchase

Your dad decides to spoil you and buys you 3 dozens of candies. A dozen equals 12, so 3 dozens would be 36 candies.

Your dad buys 36 new candies.

Now, what do you think your candy count would be before your dad leaves?

40 (after your sister) 36 (from your dad) 76 candies

Step 3: Half-Eaten Candies

But wait! Before you can even enjoy these new candies, someone else has already eaten half of them. How many candies did this mysterious person consume, and what's the new total?

This person eats half of the new 36 candies, which is 18 candies.

So, 18 candies were eaten, and the remaining candies would be:

36 (new) - 18 (eaten) 18 candies

Final Step: Your Candy Count

Now, let's combine all these numbers to find out your final candy count.

40 (after your sister) 18 (remaining new candies) 58 candies

Conclusion

Through this fun and engaging exercise, we've applied basic arithmetic and logical reasoning to a family situation involving candies. Not only did we learn how to perform these calculations, but we also gained a better understanding of real-life scenarios where math is crucial.

Additional Tips for Solving Similar Problems

Always break the problem into smaller, manageable steps. Use variables if needed to represent unknown quantities. Double-check your work to ensure accuracy.

Keywords

candy math, candy distribution, family math