Mrs. gordon had $40 to spend on cookies and pies. she bought 4 cookies, each of which cost $3. she spent twice as much on pies as she spent on cookies. mrs. gordon bought 3 pies that each cost the same amount. how much did each pie cost? $ how much money did mrs. gordon have left after buying the cookies and pies? $

So, she had 40 bucks.

she went and got these monster cookies for 3 bucks each, she bought 4 of them, 4 * 3 = 12, so she spend 12 bucks on the cookies.

" She spent twice as much on pies as she spent on cookies", wait a minute, she spend 12 bucks on cookies.. and she spent twice as much on pies?  well then twice as much as 12 is 2*12 or 24.  Thus she spent 24 bucks on pies.

now, the pies are all the same price, so, how many times 3 goes into 24? well, 24/3, 8 times, so each pie cost 8 bucks.

how much money she got left after that pastry menagerie?

well, she had $40 in her pocket, spent 12 on cookies and 24 on pies, 40 - 12 - 24.