Understanding the Math Problem: How Many Pencil Crayons Charlene Has Left?

The problem presented here involves a small but crucial ambiguity that makes the solution less straightforward. Let's break down the problem step by step and analyze the possible interpretations.

Initial Distribution

Charlene starts with 35 pencil crayons. She gives 6 to her friend Theresa and another 6 to her friend Mandy. This is initially presented with the following calculation:

Initial crayons: 35

Crayons given to Theresa: 35 - 6 29

Crayons given to Mandy by Theresa: 29 - 3 26

However, there are a few ambiguities in the problem statement that need clarification:

1. Unknown Types of Crayons

One major ambiguity lies in the type of crayons. The problem first mentions a pack of 70 pencil crayons, but then it changes to 35 crayons. This ambiguity makes it unclear if the initial 35 crayons were from the pack or if they were a different set. Additionally, we don't know whether Charlene or Theresa is the one giving the 3 crayons to Mandy.

If we assume the initial statement about 70 crayons is accurate, the problem would need to clarify which 35 crayons are being discussed.

For simplicity, let's take the second statement of 35 crayons as valid and proceed with the given calculations.

2. Clarity of Given Information

Charlene and Theresa: Did Charlene give 6 packs or crayons to Theresa? Theresa and Mandy: Did Theresa give 3 packs or crayons to Mandy? Order of Giving: Did Charlene give her crayons before or after it was determined that she had a single pack of 35?

These uncertainties introduce multiple scenarios, each with different possible answers. Let's explore them:

3. Different Scenarios

Scenario 1: If the 35 crayons are Charlene's and she gave 6 to Theresa and 6 to Mandy, then:

Charlene gives 6 to Theresa: 35 - 6 29

Theresa gives 3 to Mandy: 29 - 3 26

Charlene’s remaining crayons: 26

Scenario 2: If Charlene gave a pack of 70 crayons first and then 35 crayons to Theresa and Mandy, the outcome could be:

If Charlene initially gave 6 packs (each with 10 crayons), she would have 10 crayons left, which she then gives to Theresa and Mandy. This scenario is highly unlikely given the way the problem is structured.

If Charlene gave 35 crayons to Theresa first and then 3 more to Mandy, Theresa would still have 32 crayons (35 - 3), and Charlene would have 26 crayons left.

Given the ambiguity, we can conclude that without more details, the most logical and straightforward answer, assuming the 35 crayons are Charlene's, would be:

Conclusion

Charlene's final number of crayons: 26

This solution is based on the most common interpretation of the problem, where Charlene gives 6 crayons to Theresa and 3 more to Mandy from her initial 35 crayons. It's always a good idea to ask for clarification in ambiguous math problems to ensure the correct solution.