how many cookies in total

Question

The Cookie Jar Problem There was a jar of cookies on the table. Arturo saw the cookies and decided to take half of them to his study group meeting to share. Then Bob came along. He was hungry, so he ate a third of what was left in the jar. Celia came by and decided to take a fourth of the remaining cookies with her to her next class. Then Dan came dashing up and took two cookies to munch on. After Evelyn ate a cookie, she saw that there were six cookies left. “How many cookies were there in the jar to begin with?” she wondered.

Answer 1

At the end there are six cookies.

When Evelyn arrived there were 7 cookies - she ate 1

When Dan arrived there were 9 cookies - he took two

When Celia arrived there were 12 cookies - she took 1/4 (3) leaving 9.

When Bob arrived there were 18 cookies - he took 1/3 (6) leaving 12.

When Arturo arrive there were 36 cookies - he too 1/2 (18) leaving 18.

 

The jar contained 36 cookies.