When Sam ducked into The Curious Café to escape the rain, he expected coffee – not algebra. The place was warm and inviting, full of quiet chatter and the smell of cinnamon. He ordered a latte, a croissant, and a lemon tart, but when the bill arrived, each price was written with a strange little “x” beside it.
The waitress smiled at his puzzled look. “We charge by the variable,” she said. “Work out the value of X, and you’ll earn a 10% discount.” On the receipt it said:
- Croissant – 4x + 2
- Latte – 2x
- Lemon Tart – 3x + 4
- Total – £24
Sam laughed. It was like a puzzle from school – one he couldn’t resist solving. When Sam checked the bill, it showed £24 before his discount. He sat back, napkin in hand, jotting numbers, comparing costs, and smiling as the pieces clicked together.
When the waitress returned, he told her his answer with confidence. She grinned. “Perfect. You’ve earned your discount.”
As he paid and stepped back into the drizzle, Sam couldn’t help thinking – this was the first café where solving for x was part of the service.
Use this box for your working out / notes:
Short Story – Easy
What you’re doing: reading a tiny story, spotting the maths clues, and turning them into one simple calculation at a time.
How to solve it:
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