🦘 Math Kangaroo Grade All Felix 1-2 Ecolier 3-4 Benjamin 5-6 Kadett 7-8 Junior 9-10 Student 11-12 ⇄ switch contest
2017 Math Kangaroo

Problem 11

Problem 11 · 2017 Math Kangaroo Medium
Arithmetic & Operations careful-counting

Balloons are sold in packages of 5, 10 or 25 pieces each. Marius buys exactly 70 balloons. What is the minimum number of packages he has to buy?

Show answer
Answer: B — 4
Show hints
Hint 1 of 2
Use the biggest packages first to cut down the number of packages.
Still stuck? Show hint 2 →
Hint 2 of 2
Try two 25-packs, then fill the remaining 20 with the fewest packs.
Show solution
Approach: use the largest packages first
  1. Two packs of 25 give 50, leaving 20 balloons to reach 70.
  2. Make 20 with two packs of 10.
  3. That is 2 + 2 = 4 packages, and three packages cannot total exactly 70.
  4. So the minimum is 4.
Mark: · log in to save