Caveat Emptor! Here’s a tip that might save you money or at least some misery. Have you ever noticed that carpet is often priced by the square foot, rather than the square yard? This is partly because it sounds cheaper that way, and not just for obvious reasons. Because, while there are indeed three (linear) […]
Author: Larry Campbell
Pesky Puzzlers
NEW! Pesky Puzzler(s) 24.10 & 11: Do any or all. 1. An insect in a picture is 1/2 inch long and a label says “enlarged by a factor of 12”. What is the insect’s actual length? 2. Alice wrote a list of the first fifty counting numbers. How many times did she write the digit […]
Pesky Puzzler 24.7
THE INHERITANCE PROBLEM A man divides his cattle among his four sons so that the oldest son gets 1/2 the herd, the next son 1/4, the next 1/5, and the youngest son the remaining 20 cows. How many cattle are in the herd? SOLUTION The man has 400 cattle in his herd. (Trial and error, […]
Special Math Dates in 2024
(Some) SPECIAL MATH DATES IN 2024 Here are just a few (see #5) of the mathematically special dates in 2024. Some of passed already, but many are still ahead of us. I hope you’ll have fun celebrating them – I know I will! 1. March 14 – Pi Day: We might as well start with […]
PP 24.5 Solution
SOLUTION: 1. Fill the 3-gallon jug and pour it into the 5-gallon jug. 2. Re-fill the 3-gallon jug and pour it into the partially-filled 5-gallon jug. 3. When that jug is full, what remains in the 3-gallon jug will be one gallon.
PP 24.4 Solution
SOLUTIONS: 1. How many natural numbers are between the square roots of 8 & 80? Six. (SQRT 8 is just less than 3, and SQRT 80 is not quite 9. So the natural #s between them would be 3,4,5,6,7, & 8.) 2. What’s the largest three-digit number divisible by both 7 & 9? 945 **** BONUS: How many nonzero perfect […]
Pesky Puzzler 24.4 – 3/4/24
1. How many natural numbers are between the square roots of 8 & 80? 2. What’s the largest three-digit number divisible by both 7 & 9? ***** BONUS: How many nonzero perfect squares can be displayed on an eight-digit calculator?
PP 24.3 Solution – 3/4/24
HOPEFULLY-EASY RIDDLES? Let’s try to make up for the over-complicated Puzzle from last time! Here are some good old standard riddles. (Perhaps you’ve heard some of them?) For this Puzzle, answer ANY ONE of them and get credit (and recognition :-)). Extra credit for more than one answer! SOLUTIONS ARE IN GREEN BELOW: 1. If […]
Isn’t Math Wonderful? – February ’24
The Amazing Matching Birthdays Fact QUESTION: Suppose you are in a gathering that includes, say, three dozen folks. How likely is it that two of them have the same birthday? Well, as it turns out, relatively decent! For now, you’ll have to take my word for it (ask if you want details), but it’s true: […]
PP 24.2 Solution
FIRSTANSWER: TANK G (Wrong – see green below.) REASONING: As A begins to fill, it will almost immediately begin to flow into B (before rising higher). As B begins to fill, it will likewise flow into C. As C fills (and before it gets to the J outlet), it will begin to flow into D. […]