What is greater $5.00 or the total value of all combinations of three coins you can make using only pennies, nickels,dimes,and quarters?
Let's use the "brute force" method.
Start at the top with the most valuable combination and start adding.
25 + 25 + 25 = 75
25 + 25 + 10 = 65
25 + 25 + 5 = 55
25 + 25 + 1 = 51
25 + 10 + 10 = 45
25 + 10 + 5 = 40
25 + 10 + 1 = 36
10 + 10 + 10 = 30
10 + 10 + 5 = 25
10 + 10 + 1 = 21
10 + 5 + 5 = 20
10 + 5 + 1 = 16
5 + 5 + 5 = 15
5 + 5 + 1 = 11
The total just reached 505 cents.
There are a few more combinations left.
5 + 1 + 1 = 7
1 + 1 = 1 = 3
Take the coins.