What Would You Like to Drink?

Anand Janardhan

Today is Priya Bua’s baby’s birthday
and the house is full of guests.
“One, two, three... fifteen, sixteen...
I give up,” says Tara.

Dada is about to make coffee, tea and sharbat.
He asks the guests what they would like to drink.
“Milk for Munna’s cereal!”
shouts Priya Bua.
“Chai for me, please,”
says Amit.
“Filter coffee, strong,”
says Indira Dadi.

“So many different requests
for coffee, tea, milk... I can’t
remember it all!” sighs Dada.
“Let me help,”
says Tara.

“What if we make a table like this?”
“I’ll ask each person what they want, and put a little tick under the correct column,” says Tara.
Tea
Coffee
Juice
Milk

“Add up all the ticks for each item to know
how many cups of each to make,” says Tara.
Tea
Coffee
Juice
Milk

“Great job!” beams Papa.
“Special badam milk for you, Tara beti!” says Dada.

Tara has made a list of what each guest wants to drink.
Tea
Coffee
Juice
Milk
Can you spot how many people drank tea,
coffee, milk or juice? Add all the drinks and find
the total number that Tara and Dada prepared.