Question

Paul owes Paula 35 cents and has a pocket full of 5-cent coins, 10-cent coins, and 25-cent coins that he can use to pay her. What is the difference between the largest and the smallest number of coins he can use to pay her?

Answer 1

The least coins to pay back would be one 35 cent coin, but there isn't such a coin. But we can use 2 coins: one 25 cents, and one of 10 cents: so the smallest amount is 2 coins. 

the largest amount of coins is achieved by using the coins with the smallest value: this would be the 5-cent-coins. so we'd need 35/7=7; 7 such coins

so the different is between 7 and 2 coins, that is 5 coins difference!

Answer 2

Answer: 5

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:Paul owes Paula 35 cents and has a pocket full of 5-cent coins, 10-cent coins, and 25-cent coins that he can use to pay her.

The least coins to pay her back 35 cents would be one 25 cent coin and one 10 cent coin.   [because $25+10=35$]

The greatest number of coins pay her back 35 cents would be seven 5-cents coin.   [because $5+5+5+5+5+5+5=35$ ]

Thus, the different between the largest and the smallest number of coins he can use to pay her=$7-2=5$