Let's solve these problems step by step.

1. Mrs. Jones and her pencils

Mrs. Jones starts with 56 pencils, and there is a 45% decrease.
To find how many pencils remain:

• Step 1: Find 45% of 56.
  $0.45 \times 56 = 25.2$
• Step 2: Subtract the decrease from the original total.
  $56 - 25.2 = 30.8$
  Since pencils can't be fractions, she has approximately 31 pencils remaining.

2. John's Hoodie Purchase

John has two coupon options for a hoodie priced at $35.75.

Option 1: $5 Off Coupon

Subtract $5 from the original price:
$35.75 - 5 = 30.75$
The price with the $5 off coupon is $30.75.

Option 2: 15% Off Coupon

Find 15% of $35.75:
$0.15 \times 35.75 = 5.3625$
Subtract this from the original price:
$35.75 - 5.3625 = 30.39$
The price with the 15% off coupon is approximately $30.39.

Which Coupon Is Better?

To determine the better deal, compare the two prices:

• $5 off coupon: $30.75
• 15% off coupon: $30.39

The 15% off coupon is better by:
$30.75 - 30.39 = 0.36$
The 15% off coupon saves $0.36 more.

3. Suzie's Makeup Purchase

Suzie buys mascara for $8.20 and lip gloss for $6.75, and she has a 20% off coupon.

• Step 1: Find the total cost.
  $8.20 + 6.75 = 14.95$
• Step 2: Calculate 20% of the total.
  $0.20 \times 14.95 = 2.99$
• Step 3: Subtract the discount from the total.
  $14.95 - 2.99 = 11.96$
  Suzie will pay $11.96 after using the coupon.

Final Answers Summary:

1. Mrs. Jones has 31 pencils remaining.
2. The price of the hoodie:
   • With $5 off coupon: $30.75
   • With 15% off coupon: $30.39
   • The 15% coupon is $0.36 cheaper.
3. Suzie will pay $11.96 for her makeup.

Do you want more explanations on any of these problems? Let me know!

Related Questions:

1. If Mrs. Jones lost 55% of her pencils instead, how many would remain?
2. What if John's hoodie price increased to $40? How would the coupon comparisons change?
3. If Suzie had a 30% off coupon instead, what would she pay?
4. How much would the hoodie cost if John had both a $5 off and 15% off coupon?
5. If Suzie bought a third item for $10.50, how much would she pay with her 20% off coupon?

Tip: Always calculate percentage discounts by multiplying the percentage (as a decimal) by the original price.