A factory recycles plates for use in its canteen.Nine used plates.........how many plates can possibly be made in total?

Question

A factory recycles plates for use in its canteen.

Nine used plates are required to make each new plate.

If there are 625 used plates, how many plates can possibly be made in total?

Answer 1

Answer: 78 plates
step 1: int of 625/9 = 69 ........ R: 4
step 2: int of (69+4)/9 = 8 .... R:1
step 3: int of (8+1)/9 = 1 ........ R:0
Total: 69+8+ 1 = 78

Answer 78 plates

Comments

Ah thanks for that, I've had this puzzle come up in a couple of different guises. I just did divide by 9 and left it there - I didn't realise they would recycle them again I suppose. I'd have thought by the time the first batch of new plates were used they'd have more dirty plates anyway. Oh well. Maths eh?