Question

A total of $30 was placed in 4 envelopes, each one with a different amount. Money from the largest share was taken to double each of the other amounts. The resulting amounts were the same as before, but in different envelopes. What were the four amounts of money?

Answer 1

The amounts are 16, 8, 4, and 2. Doubling everything with the 16, we can process the numbers step by step:

8, 16, 4, 2

4, 16, 8, 2

2, 16, 8, 4

After making all the changes, these values lead to the last set, so 16, 8, 4, 2 is a working set.