Question

Trickster Rabbit agrees with Foolish Fox to double Fox's money every time Fox crosses the bridge by Rabbit's house, as long as Fox pays $40$ coins in toll to Rabbit after each crossing. The payment is made after the doubling. Fox is excited about his good fortune until he discovers that all his money is gone after crossing the bridge three times. How many coins did Fox have at the beginning?

$20$

$30$

$35$

$40$

$45$

Solution:

We know that Fox has $0$ coins at the end. Then before paying the final toll, Fox had $40$ coins.

Then he had $40 \div 2 = 20$ coins before the doubling. Then before paying the toll for the second crossing, he had $20 + 40 = 60$ coins.

Before the doubling on the second crossing, he had $60 \div 2 = 30$ coins. On the first crossing before the toll, Fox had $30 + 40 = 70$ coins.

Finally, before the first doubling, Fox had $70 \div 2 = 35$ coins.

Thus, the correct answer is C .

2016 AMC 10A Problem 8

Solution:

Problem 8 in Other Years