Problem 3 · 2025 Math Kangaroo
Easy
Counting & Probability
careful-counting
How many pencils are in this picture?
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Answer: B — 8
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Hint 1 of 3
The pencils cross over each other, so counting the middles is tricky.
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Hint 2 of 3
Each pencil has one pointy tip and one pink eraser end — count the ends instead.
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Hint 3 of 3
Count just the pointy tips, or just the pink ends, and that is how many pencils there are.
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Approach: count by matching each tip to its eraser end
- The pencils overlap, so count the ends instead of the middles.
- Match each sharpened dark tip to one pink eraser end.
- There are 8 such pairs, so there are 8 pencils.
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