Anna filled four identical cups with different liquids. Three of the cups were filled with water from different locations on land, and one cup was filled with ocean water. The liquid in the four cups was boiled completely. The table below shows the mass of salt obtained after boiling the liquids completely.

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline
Cup & Mass of salt (in grams) \\
\hline
1 & 25 \\
\hline
2 & 18 \\
\hline
3 & 35 \\
\hline
4 & 29 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

Into which of these cups did Anna most likely fill ocean water?

A. Cup 1

B. Cup 2

C. Cup 3

D. Cup 4



Answer :

To determine into which cup Anna most likely filled ocean water, let’s follow these steps:

1. Understanding the Context: Ocean water is known to have a higher salt content compared to water from locations on land. Therefore, the cup that contains ocean water will likely have the highest mass of salt after boiling away all liquids.

2. Analyzing the Data: We have the masses of salt obtained from the four cups:
- Cup 1: 25 grams
- Cup 2: 18 grams
- Cup 3: 35 grams
- Cup 4: 29 grams

3. Identifying the Cup with the Highest Salt Mass: To determine which cup has the ocean water, we need to look for the cup with the highest mass of salt. Comparing the given masses:
- Cup 1: 25 grams
- Cup 2: 18 grams
- Cup 3: 35 grams
- Cup 4: 29 grams

It is clear that Cup 3 has the highest mass of salt, which is 35 grams.

4. Conclusion: Therefore, Anna most likely filled Cup 3 with ocean water.

The correct answer is:
- Cup 3