This simple counting puzzle starts with seven cookies. The woman gives away three and then eats two. How many cookies remain?
The answer is 2 cookies.
Start with 7. After giving away 3, she has 4 cookies remaining. Then she eats 2 of those 4 cookies.
That leaves 2 cookies.
The calculation is 7 − 3 − 2 = 2.
There is no hidden multiplication or unusual trick here. The important part is simply to follow the actions in the order they happen: first subtract the three cookies she gives away, then subtract the two she eats.
