Movie Night Math: Calculating Change Made Easy!

Hey guys! Let's dive into a fun math problem that involves a family trip to the movies. We'll break it down step-by-step so you can easily understand how to calculate the change they received. Get ready to sharpen those math skills!

Understanding the Movie Ticket Costs

So, the core of this problem lies in figuring out the total cost of the movie tickets. This involves understanding the pricing structure – adult tickets cost a different amount than children's tickets. In our scenario, the adult tickets are priced at nine reais each, while the children's tickets come in at five reais each. This is a pretty common setup for movie theaters, and it makes sense when you think about it. Adults typically occupy a full seat and are considered the primary audience, while children often require less space and may not fully appreciate the cinematic experience in the same way. To accurately calculate the total cost, we need to know how many adults and children went to the movies. In this case, it’s one child (the person the story is about) and two parents (adults). Therefore, we need to factor in two adult tickets and one child ticket. This simple breakdown is crucial because it forms the foundation of our calculation. Without this basic understanding, it's impossible to proceed further in solving the problem. Think of it like building a house – you need a solid foundation before you can start adding walls and a roof. Similarly, we need to understand the individual ticket costs before we can determine the total amount spent. This involves not just knowing the price of each type of ticket, but also knowing how many of each type were purchased. Once we have this information, we can move on to the next step in our calculation: multiplying the number of each type of ticket by its respective price. This will give us the individual cost for each category – the total cost of the adult tickets and the total cost of the child tickets. These individual costs will then be added together to arrive at the grand total spent on movie tickets. So, you see, it all starts with understanding the fundamental pricing structure and how many of each ticket type were involved. This is the bedrock upon which our entire calculation rests, and it's essential to get this part right before we move on to more complex steps. Remember, attention to detail is key in math problems, and accurately identifying the cost of each ticket type is a prime example of this. By carefully considering the information provided, we can set ourselves up for success in solving the problem.

Calculating the Total Cost

Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of calculating the total cost of the movie tickets. Remember, we have two adult tickets at nine reais each and one child ticket at five reais. To find the total cost, we need to do a bit of multiplication and addition. First, we'll calculate the cost of the adult tickets. We multiply the number of adult tickets (2) by the price per ticket (9 reais). This gives us 2 * 9 = 18 reais. So, the two adult tickets cost a total of 18 reais. Next, we need to calculate the cost of the child ticket. Since there's only one child ticket, and it costs 5 reais, the total cost for the child ticket is simply 5 reais. Now that we have the individual costs for the adult and child tickets, we can add them together to find the total cost. We add the cost of the adult tickets (18 reais) to the cost of the child ticket (5 reais). This gives us 18 + 5 = 23 reais. Therefore, the total cost of the movie tickets for the family is 23 reais. This calculation is a fundamental example of how we use arithmetic in everyday situations. Whether it's buying groceries, paying for transportation, or, in this case, going to the movies, we constantly need to figure out the total cost of our purchases. Mastering these basic calculations is crucial for financial literacy and making informed decisions. It allows us to budget our money effectively and avoid overspending. Think about it – if you didn't know how to calculate the total cost, you might not realize that you're spending more than you intended. In the context of our movie night problem, accurately calculating the total cost is essential for figuring out how much change the family will receive. Without knowing the total cost, we can't subtract it from the amount paid to determine the change. So, you see, this step is not just about getting a number; it's about setting the stage for the final calculation and understanding the overall financial transaction. By carefully following the steps of multiplication and addition, we've successfully determined that the family spent 23 reais on movie tickets. This number is a key piece of information that we'll use in the next stage of our problem-solving journey: figuring out the change they received.

Determining the Change Received

The final step in our mathematical movie adventure is determining the change received. The dad paid with a 50-real note, and the total cost of the tickets was 23 reais. To find the change, we need to subtract the total cost from the amount paid. This is a simple subtraction problem, but it's crucial for understanding the complete transaction. We start with the amount paid, which is 50 reais, and we subtract the total cost of the tickets, which is 23 reais. This gives us 50 - 23 = 27 reais. Therefore, the family received 27 reais in change. This calculation highlights the importance of subtraction in everyday financial transactions. Whenever we pay for something, we need to understand how much change we should receive back. This ensures that we're not being shortchanged and that we're managing our money effectively. In this specific scenario, the change of 27 reais represents the difference between the amount paid and the value of the goods or services received. It's the extra money that the person receives back after completing the transaction. Understanding change is a fundamental aspect of financial literacy, and it's a skill that we use constantly in our daily lives. Think about all the times you've paid for something and received change back – it's a common occurrence, and it's essential to be able to calculate the correct amount. In the context of our movie night problem, figuring out the change helps us complete the story and understand the financial outcome of the family's outing. We know how much they spent, how much they paid, and now we know how much they received back. This gives us a comprehensive picture of the transaction and reinforces our understanding of basic mathematical principles. By successfully subtracting the total cost from the amount paid, we've not only solved the problem but also reinforced the importance of subtraction in real-world situations. So, next time you're paying for something, remember this simple calculation and make sure you're receiving the correct change!

Conclusion: Math at the Movies!

So, there you have it! By breaking down the problem into smaller steps, we were able to easily calculate the change received after a fun family movie night. We saw how important it is to understand the cost of each item, calculate the total cost, and then subtract that from the amount paid. Math is all around us, even at the movies! Understanding these basic calculations can really help us in our daily lives, from buying movie tickets to managing our own money. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep those math skills sharp, and you'll be a pro at solving real-world problems in no time!