Question

you have several coins that total 38 cents. you have the same number of pennies as you do nickles. how many coins do you have?

Answer 1

Since the number of nickels (5 cents) is the same number as pennies (1 cent), their sum goes in multiples of 6 cents.

Assume there are N of each of pennies and nickels
N amount left
1 32
2 26
<b>3 20</b>
4 14
5 8
6 2
Since 20 cents equals two dimes (10 cents), we conclude that there are
2 dimes
3 nickels
3 pennies.