How Many Children Are in the Class: Solving the Sandwich Dilemma

Imagine you’re a teacher and you’ve brought 50 sandwiches for your class. Each child eats 2 sandwiches, and at the end of the lunch break, there are 8 sandwiches left. How many children are in your class? This is a simple math problem, but it can be a bit tricky if you’re not familiar with the concept of subtraction and division. In this article, we’ll break down the steps to solve this problem and explain the math behind it.

Understanding the Problem

The first step in solving any math problem is understanding what the problem is asking. In this case, we know that there were originally 50 sandwiches, each child eats 2 sandwiches, and there are 8 sandwiches left. The question is asking us to find out how many children are in the class.

Breaking Down the Problem

Now that we understand the problem, we can start breaking it down into smaller, more manageable parts. Here’s how:

• First, we need to find out how many sandwiches were eaten. We do this by subtracting the number of sandwiches left from the total number of sandwiches. So, 50 – 8 = 42 sandwiches were eaten.
• Next, we need to find out how many children ate the sandwiches. Since each child eats 2 sandwiches, we divide the number of sandwiches eaten by 2. So, 42 ÷ 2 = 21 children.

Solving the Problem

Now that we’ve broken down the problem, we can solve it. Here’s the solution:

• 42 sandwiches were eaten.
• Each child eats 2 sandwiches, so 42 ÷ 2 = 21 children.

So, there are 21 children in the class.

Understanding the Math

The math behind this problem is quite simple. It involves two basic operations: subtraction and division. Subtraction is used to find out how many sandwiches were eaten, and division is used to find out how many children ate the sandwiches. This problem is a great example of how math can be used in everyday situations to solve practical problems.

Conclusion

Math problems like this one are a great way to practice your subtraction and division skills. They also help you develop your problem-solving skills, as you have to understand the problem, break it down into smaller parts, and then solve it. So next time you’re faced with a similar problem, remember these steps and you’ll be able to solve it with ease.