LEARN ABOUT IT
Sometimes a problem has extra information that you do not need to solve the problem.
At the tavern, Ralph bought a mug of mead for 1 shilling, bread for 2 shillings, meat for 2 shillings, and a souvenir for his children 5 shillings. How much did Ralph spend on food?
First, find the information you need to solve the problem. Some information is extra. The extra information is:
Ralph bought a souvenir toy for his children for 5 shillings.
I'll solve the problem using only the information I need.
1 + 2 + 2 = 5
Ralph spent 5 shillings on food.