Shopping with Coins: Half Dollar, Quarter, Dime, Nickel, Penny

  • Thread starter tribdog
  • Start date
In summary, shopper #1 does not have any change to give to shopper #2 for a dollar bill and shopper #2 offers to pay with a bill instead. The widget could cost anywhere from 99 cents to 1.69, but the most the widget could cost is 1.749 dimes.
  • #1
tribdog
769
17
It's not on sale.

Shopper #1: I sure want that widgit. and look at the price. I have exactly enough to pay for it. All I have are coins though and I hate paying with coins. I'll comeback when I have bills.
Shopper #2: I have a bill, do you have change for a dollar?
Shopper #1: No
What's the most the widgit could cost?

american coins: (100 cents =1 dollar): half dollar(50 cents), quarter(25 cents), dime (10 cents), nickel (5 cents), penny (1 cent)
 
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  • #2
.99 cents? what if shopper #1 just lied because she likes to save her coins, and she really did have change for a dollar!
 
  • #3
sometimes in the brain teasers section you should use your brain. Wrong answer number one
 
  • #4
I'm not an expert on US currency, but what are the highest value coins? If, say, there was a two-dollar coin, shopper #1 may have all the money in two-dollar coins and so no change for a dollar. Or even one-dollar coins, since a $1 coin would not be 'change' for a $1 bill. However, I see no upper limit to the cost of the widget in this case so I guess that's not it? Unless by shopper #2's offer of a dollar bill we can infer that shopper #2 knew the cost of the widget, in which case it's $1.
 
  • #5
tribdog said:
sometimes in the brain teasers section you should use your brain. Wrong answer number one

but i did use my brain :) It was just the wrong answer... Well the widget could cost ... could it possibly be 1.69? 7 dimes... 70 cents... 3 quarters... 75 cents... 4 nickles... 20 cents... 4 pennies... and still no change for a dollar... unless there is a different mix of coins for a larger price.
 
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  • #6
I wasn't being rude, but did you read your answer? go back and read it and tell me you really tried to come up with an answer
 
  • #7
yeah sorry, was just using some sarcasm... i should note that before i post, hard to tell over the net.
 
  • #8
we don't do sarcasm here. lol. I'm just screwing with you
 
  • #9
so is it 1.69? :)
 
  • #10
not even close
 
  • #11
I can't figure out a way to get above $1.19 (such as 50+25+4*10+4*1). The only "split" that would take me above a dollar is the 25 which keeps it from happening since there's no 25 in 4*10 and there isn't enough pennies to make another 5. I may be wrong, but that'd be my guess.
 
  • #12
tribdog said:
I hate paying with coins. I'll comeback when I have bills.
If the answer is $1.19 (3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 cents), then the problem is poorly worded. The buyer is going to pay with coins whether they like it or not.
 
  • #13
Do you have half-dollar coins in the US? I've just come back from America and I don't remember seeing any - just loads of quarters!
 
  • #14
There are indeed half-dollar coins, though quater, dime, nickle and penny (25, 10, 5 and 1, respectively) are *way* the most common. The half-dollar is used pretty rarely, though they are definately around. There have also been rounds of dollar coins for ages (gold/silver dollars, etc) though they've never caught on. I think they're planning another round of it. Most other systems I've seen seem to use coins up to $1-$2 in value and often remove the penny and possibly nickle value coins and round up/down at those ammounts. The public doesn't seem very willing to do either of these (I don't think they've even tried removing pennies, but dollar coins seem to be met with suspicion as well).
 
  • #15
Thanks for that LarrrSDonald, a similar thing occurs with our £2 coin. I've no idea how many are in circulation but there are many, many more £1 coins.


Another way to make $1.19 cents is 1 quarter, 9 dimes and 4 cents is it not?
 
  • #16
how do you guys keep getting 1.19, i already posted a way to get to 1.69 without having an even dollar for change... but i think it's 1.74 uppon further examination. 9 dimes... 90 cents... 1 nickle... 5 cents.. 3 quarters.. 75 cents... 4 pennies... 4 cents... and in any of these variations, you cannot come to an even dollar. So i stand strong with my final answer of 1.74
 
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  • #17
dgoodpasture2005 said:
9 dimes... 90 cents... 1 nickle... 5 cents.. 3 quarters.. 75 cents... 4 pennies... 4 cents
With those coins, you could easily make change for a dollar. For instance, 3 quarters, 1 nickel, and 2 dimes.
 
  • #18
Same with the previous "70 cents... 3 quarters... 75 cents... 4 nickles... 20 cents... 4 pennies...", the three quaters, two dimes and a nickle would work as would numerious other combinations.
 
  • #19
the reason we still have pennies is because it costs less than 1 cent to make one. pennies are free money for the treasury
 
  • #20
Yeah I have been thinking and all I can get is just $1.19. Oh well I guess I will have to try a little harder.
 
  • #21
JCCol said:
Yeah I have been thinking and all I can get is just $1.19. Oh well I guess I will have to try a little harder.
why, it's the right answer
 
  • #22
i submit to the allmighty tribdog... my brain is yours to tease.
 

1. What is the value of each coin in the "Shopping with Coins" scenario?

The value of each coin in this scenario is as follows: half dollar = $0.50, quarter = $0.25, dime = $0.10, nickel = $0.05, penny = $0.01.

2. Can I use these coins to make exact change?

Yes, these coins can be used to make exact change as they add up to a total value of $0.91.

3. Is it common to use coins for shopping?

Yes, using coins for shopping is a common practice, especially for small purchases or to make exact change.

4. Are there any other coins that can be used for shopping?

Yes, there are other coins that can be used for shopping, such as the dollar coin, the half dollar coin, and the two dollar bill. However, these are less commonly used compared to the coins mentioned in this scenario.

5. Can I use these coins in any country for shopping?

No, the value and currency of coins vary from country to country. The coins mentioned in this scenario are specific to the United States and may not be accepted as legal tender in other countries.

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