Three shares from one total

The question

Three teams pick 35 apples between them. Blue picks 2 times as many as Red, and Green picks 11 more than Red.

How many does Red pick?

Count in parts, and take the extra off first

total:35· times:2· more:11
1 part+2 parts+1 part+11
35−11=24
24÷4=6
  1. 35 apples, with Blue getting 2 times Red and Green getting 11 more than Red.
  2. Call Red's share one part. Then Blue is 2 parts, and Green is one part and 11 on top.
  3. That is 4 parts and 11 extra, adding to 35. Take the extra off before dividing: 35 − 11 = 24.
  4. Now 24 splits into 4 equal parts: 24 ÷ 4 = 6. So Red holds 6 apples.

How it works.

  1. 01

    35 apples, with Blue getting 2 times Red and Green getting 11 more than Red.

  2. 02

    Call Red's share one part. Then Blue is 2 parts, and Green is one part and 11 on top.

  3. 03

    That is 4 parts and 11 extra, adding to 35. Take the extra off before dividing: 35 − 11 = 24.

  4. 04

    Now 24 splits into 4 equal parts: 24 ÷ 4 = 6. So Red holds 6 apples.