Question 8
Four brothers eat 11 cookies. Each eats at least one cookie, and two of them eat the same number. Three of them eat 9 cookies altogether, and one brother eats exactly 3. How many cookies does the brother who eats the most eat?
Editorial task: test whether the wording determines a unique answer. Give all possible largest counts and state an extra assumption that would justify the source answer.
Original source options (retained):
(A) 3; (B) 4; (C) 5; (D) 6; (E) 7
Editorial format note: this essay examines the source wording and its assumptions. The original choices are retained for comparison.
Editorial task: test whether the wording determines a unique answer. Give all possible largest counts and state an extra assumption that would justify the source answer.
Original source options (retained):
(A) 3; (B) 4; (C) 5; (D) 6; (E) 7
Editorial format note: this essay examines the source wording and its assumptions. The original choices are retained for comparison.