Mr Fradgley’s Question Time #1

Three of our Year 8 pupils sat the Wellington College Scholarship paper last week. Here is a question from the Maths paper and the answer, courtesy of Ted and Manny, is below:

Question

Helga and Horace are two hippos. They are both weighed in January and their keeper feels that they are underweight.

Their feeding pattern is changed and they are weighed again in July. Both have gained weight.

Helga has gained 80kg.

Horace has gained 90kg.

Originally, Horace weighed 180kg more than Helga.

In July, their average weight is 1535kg.

Find Horace and Helga’s January weights.

Answer

Helga – 1360kg

Horace – 1540kg