The Morning Brew café was packed, as it always was on a rainy Wednesday morning. Steam fogged the windows, cups clinked on saucers, and the faint sound of jazz drifted from the old radio near the counter. Anna stood at the end of the queue, staring at the chalkboard menu. Most of the prices were clear – until she noticed two of them had been smudged beyond recognition. She pointed. “How much are the lattes and pastries?”
The barista grinned. “Depends who you ask,” he said. “We had a maths student in earlier who turned it into a puzzle. Want to play along?”
Anna laughed, ordered four lattes and two pastries, and paid £26. The receipt had her thinking. The next customer, James, ordered two lattes and four pastries and paid £28. “There’s definitely a pattern here,” Anna said. They sat together by the window, turning the receipts around like detectives studying clues. The rain tapped against the glass as they scribbled on napkins, testing out combinations and comparing costs.
When the barista came over to clear a table, Anna held up the paper proudly. “We’ve cracked it!” she said. He raised an eyebrow. “So what do you think each one costs?” They told him, and he smiled knowingly. “You’re right,” he said, sliding them both an extra pastry. “We do this every Wednesday to keep the regulars sharp.”
As the morning quieted, Anna looked at the smudged chalkboard again and laughed. “Only in this café could coffee come with homework.”
Use this box for your working out / notes:
You must be logged in to view this answer.
Log in to continue
