Hints and solutions to
Make a List #9

Which is greater : $ 5.00, or the total value of all combinations of three coins you can make using only pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters?

  • This one definitely requires a list of all the choices of three coins, or at least enough of them to get us past $5.00, if total value of the combinations actually turns out to be greater.
  • So we'll make a list, starting with using 3 quarters and working "down" from there, and we'll stop if and when the total value exceeds $5.

    Quarters

    Dimes

    Nickels

    Pennies

    Value

    Total so far

    3

    0

    0

    0

    0.75

    0.75

    2

    1

    0

    0

    0.60

    1.35

    2

    0

    1

    0

    0.55

    1.90

    2

    0

    0

    1

    0.51

    2.41

    1

    2

    0

    0

    0.45

    2.86

    1

    1

    1

    0

    0.40

    3.26

    1

    1

    0

    1

    0.36

    3.62

    1

    0

    2

    0

    0.35

    3.97

    1

    0

    1

    1

    0.31

    4.28

    1

    0

    0

    2

    0.27

    4.55

    0

    3

    0

    0

    0.30

    4.85

    0

    2

    1

    0

    0.25

    5.10

  • We're not through our list, but we're already over $5, so the answer is the total of the combinations is greater.