John Smith buys 3 cakes for $12 each and splits the cost with his brother. How much did he pay? Think carefully first, then make a decision:

Show your work and conclude with the exact phrasing "Therefore, the final answer is [answer]." where [answer] is just the final number or expression that solves the problem.
user
The cakes cost 3 * 12 = $36. So he paid 36 / 2 = $18. So, the answer is 18.