Math Riddle

[dajdog1]

This is obviously dependent on how you interpret the question:
I interpret it as them giving us half the pole in the ground...then an additional 1/3<---which has nothing to do with the half in the ground. This leaving 2/3 of that remaining half not the whole.(treating the remaining half not in the ground as fractions. Then solve by multiplying my 2.
I interpret it as 1/3 of the remaining half. You say it's 1/3 on top of the 1/2 this is where the math changes. I am not going to say that I don't understand math because that would be an understatement. I just think we are interpreting(reading into) this problem at different angles.

 

[FinnishSpartan]

This is obviously dependent on how you interpret the question:

lol, you dont have to be a math genius to understand this question. We had this stuff back in middle school =/
Math cannot be interpret in many ways, unless you somehow manage to convince me that 1+1=3

-FSS

 

[dajdog1]

That's okay guys I give up...I was trying to see it from both perspectives but not one has looked at mine. Happy armor building!

 

[ERADICATORofDTH]

Wow thanks for all the feedback you guys. I didn't expect it to get so many replies.

Now that I have sat down and worked it out, I believe that the answer is in fact 66 feet.


Here's a pic I drew in Paint showing how I did it.
[attachment=6878:Question...e_week_8.jpg]

 

[Ph4de]

lol, you dont have to be a math genius to understand this question. We had this stuff back in middle school =/
Math cannot be interpret in many ways, unless you somehow manage to convince me that 1+1=3

-FSS

It can if you are rounding
1.4 + 1.4 = 2.8
1.4 rounds to 1
2.8 rounds to 3

 

[Achille]

Take the pole out of the water and measure it. At least, that's what I would do.

(Although if you do it the hard way, I believe it is 66 as well.)

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

Fractions, fractions, how I loathe thee.

But yeah, use a common denominator...

1/2+1/3=3/6+2/6=5/6

So you have 5/6 total covered by water and stuck in the ground, 1/6 is exposed, since we know 11ft is exposed then it's 66ft or whatever the units were.

And in math, whether something "seems" too big or not doesn't matter.

 

[Toby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The John @ Oct 22 2008, 02:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is obviously dependent on how you interpret the question:
I interpret it as them giving us half the pole in the ground...then an additional 1/3<---which has nothing to do with the half in the ground.</div>
Agreed, that's the most logical way, IMO, but unluckily, that's not what it says. It's not that the question is badly worded or could be more clear, it's just not intuitive. happens when teachers are forced to think of creative questions.

lol, you dont have to be a math genius to understand this question. We had this stuff back in middle school =/
Math cannot be interpret in many ways, unless you somehow manage to convince me that 1+1=3

lol, you don't have to be thick to be annoying. So back of.
(Simple) Math might not be ambiguous. Language (especially English), however can be. I hope you don't have to be an English genius to understand that.

 

[egermann04]

hmmm... people seem to be making it a bit too complicated...

if half is in the ground and 1/3 is underwater and the remaining part of the the pole above water is 11ft
then that would mean a total of 2/3 of the pole is under and 1/3 of the pole =11ft then 11x3=33ft


for example if you find a common denominator,
3/6 of the pole is underground, 1/6 is underwater, and 2/6 is above water, if you simplify the fraction that would make 1/3 above water and if 1/3=11 11x3=33ft


it's been a few years since high school but i'm sure i'm right

**EDIT**

i'm a bit bored so i decided to make a nice drawing of it just to make sure it's right

 

[23Magnum]

Near thirty posts to discuss one problem. Egermann used the method I would have done. Graphics usually always help aid in solving word problems like these. If you can't figure it out by the words alone, draw it out.

If you wanted to solve it purely algebraically though:

x = Half in ground
y = Total length

y = 2x
x = 11 + (x/3)

Solve for x.

x = 11 + (x/3)

x - (x/3) = 11

(3x/3) - (x/3) = 11

2x/3 = 11

x = 11*3/2

x = 33/2

Substitute x in y equation.

y = 2x

y = 2*(33/2)

y = 33
_______

If this is an Algebra class, teachers usually want to see this as they want you to "show your work". Otherwise, Egermann's method works just as well.

 

[dajdog1]

This is how I came to 33 but you can also get 66. I was trying to explain this on how it's interpreted. Either your solving for the 1/3 of the total length of the pole or 1/3 of the remaining half.

 

[droodles]

Edit: I just want to say that this post was in bad taste and I would like to apologize to 23Magnum for the way it was worded. i didn't mean it to be taken this way but in re-reading the post it is clear that it will be seen as such. Again sorry to Magnum. I will leave the post unedited but with this add-on to apologize.

Near thirty posts to discuss one problem. Egermann used the method I would have done. Graphics usually always help aid in solving word problems like these. If you can't figure it out by the words alone, draw it out.

If you wanted to solve it purely algebraically though:

x = Half in ground
y = Total length

y = 2x
x = 11 + (x/3)

Solve for x.

x = 11 + (x/3)

x - (x/3) = 11

(3x/3) - (x/3) = 11

2x/3 = 11

x = 11*3/2

x = 33/2

Substitute x in y equation.

y = 2x

y = 2*(33/2)

y = 33
_______

If this is an Algebra class, teachers usually want to see this as they want you to "show your work". Otherwise, Egermann's method works just as well.

The answer is 66 however just to clear up Magnum`s impressive but incorrect math...

@Magnum
Don't put x into the function that is solving for x in this type of question. It's just bad math you want to use the substitution method and SUBSTITUTE A VARIABLE BY USING ANOTHER KNOWN FUNCTION. Good job showing your work though. Instead of using x = 11 + (x/3) you should be using a function with both y and x variables.

Your assumption that x = 11 + (x/3) is incorrect. The (x/3) is your problem area. By writing this you are saying 11 + (x/3) is one half of total stick length when in fact we know that x = 11 + (y/3) leaving us with 1/6 for the stick+1/3 in the water= half of stick. Use these equations to figure it out.

x = 11 + (y/3)
y=2x

substitute y in

x=11+(2x/3)
x-11=2x/3
3x-33=2x
x=33

Now substitute back into the original equation

y=2x
y=2(33)
STICK=66

BTW I got 100% in calculus.

Edit: I just want to say that this post was in bad taste and I would like to apologize to 23Magnum for the way it was worded. i didn't mean it to be taken this way but in re-reading the post it is clear that it will be seen as such. Again sorry to Magnum. I will leave the post unedited but with this add-on to apologize.

 

[23Magnum]

People make mistakes in Math a lot, especially in word problems.

What I don't take kindly is calling it "bad math" when it was obviously good math, just interpreted incorrectly. Then bragging about how you did in a higher level math than what is being used here. You want to show me up by providing the correct Math, that's fine. Just don't use my name to call me out as others made the same mistake as well.

Btw, I have minor in Math from College, which has 3 Calculus courses in which I obtained all A's. I was also a tutor for two years in the subject. I've seen regular students correct me on my math before although it rarely happened. It usually happens when overthinking a problem as I must have assumed people correctly read the problem here from the beginning. Though, they also never insulted me about it.

 

[dajdog1]

I agree your math was correct just interpreted differently. As I did the same thing.

 

[Widman2013]

hmmm... people seem to be making it a bit too complicated...

if half is in the ground and 1/3 is underwater and the remaining part of the the pole above water is 11ft
then that would mean a total of 2/3 of the pole is under and 1/3 of the pole =11ft then 11x3=33ft
for example if you find a common denominator,
3/6 of the pole is underground, 1/6 is underwater, and 2/6 is above water, if you simplify the fraction that would make 1/3 above water and if 1/3=11 11x3=33ft
it's been a few years since high school but i'm sure i'm right

**EDIT**

i'm a bit bored so i decided to make a nice drawing of it just to make sure it's right

I'm sorry to say, but that is incorrect. 1/2 = 3/6 is under ground. 1/3 = 2/6 is under water. which leaves only 1/6 for 11 feet to equal. and to get a full pole from 1/6 you must multiply by 6. so, 11*6=66feet

 

[ERADICATORofDTH]

This is how I came to 33 but you can also get 66. I was trying to explain this on how it's interpreted. Either your solving for the 1/3 of the total length of the pole or 1/3 of the remaining half.

That's exactly the problem I had with it. Is it 1/3 of the pole above ground or 1/3 of the whole length of pole. If it's the whole pole, then it would be 66 feet total, but if it was 1/3 of the above ground pole, it would be 33 feet.

I am going to assume that it is 1/3 of the whole length, since it doesn't say anything about 1/3 of the remaining, or 1/3 of the above ground.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm putting 66 feet as the answer.

I also have a different math problem for you guys to solve

[attachment=6896:Math_riddle.jpg]
All the columns are arranged the same way. What is the missing number?

 

[Widman2013]

Oh boy, I'm not even going to take a stab at that one. 8th grade Algebra 1/2 doesn't teach that junk. :'(

 

[FinnishSpartan]

It can if you are rounding
1.4 + 1.4 = 2.8
1.4 rounds to 1
2.8 rounds to 3

Okay, let me put it this way:
1.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
+
1.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
=
3.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Now try to convince me

-FSS

 

[ERADICATORofDTH]

Nobody wants to try it??

 

[egermann04]

I'm sorry to say, but that is incorrect. 1/2 = 3/6 is under ground. 1/3 = 2/6 is under water. which leaves only 1/6 for 11 feet to equal. and to get a full pole from 1/6 you must multiply by 6. so, 11*6=66feet

i'm nearly positive my solution is correct it's all in the wording that makes it a bit more confusing, when it says an additional 1/3 of the pole is underwater... does that mean 1/3 of the remaining part of the pole that wasn't accounted for yet or is it 1/3 of the entire pole. if it's 1/3 of the entire pole under water then the answer would be 66