Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

lvtwoqlt

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

lvtwoqlt

This is a 5th grade math problem. If you can't stand word math problems, just forget it. This is not a trick question. This is a real math problem so don't say that a bus has no legs.

There are 7 girls in a bus.

Each girl has 7 backpacks.

In each backpack there are 7 cats.

For every big cat there are 7 kittens.

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

I will keep check to see who gets the answer right.

AnneW

238?

I'll be embarrassed if I get this wrong. You'll rat me out to my former math teacher!

Anne

lvtwoqlt

you are wrong- try again. this came from his daughter.

Sheila

AnnNYC

7 girls x 2 legs = 14 legs

7 girls x 7 backpacks/girl x 7 cats/backpack = 343 big cats x 4 legs = 1,372 legs

343 big cats x 7 kittens/cat = 2,401 kittens x 4 legs = 9,604 legs

14 + 1,372 + 9,604 = 10,990 legs

?????????

Rosemary44

Assuming every cat is a big cat, the answer should be 70

anniee

I agree 238.....this is really good keeping me distracted....almost multplied 7X7 to begin...tricky! Dying to know the answer!...Thanks for the fun.....Anniee

lvtwoqlt

Should I PM those who have tried to answer or post the correct answer after someone gets it?

Sheila

AnnNYC

Hurry, Sheila!!!

I hope you can explain the answer when you give it!

Lynn12

ok, I got 10,990...wow!

AnnNYC

Whew, Lynn -- I'm glad to see at least I'm not totally alone in the way I read it!!!

Lynn12

Ann, we came to the same answer, maybe we're right?

Lynn12

Lol Ann, at first I thought I must be wayyyy too high, but did it several times and came out with the same answer!

anniee

oh, I didnt see we were alredy wrong....I thought

14 girls legs

49 backpacks X 28 legs=1372

343 cats have 7 kittens = 2401, x4 =9604

9604+ 1372 +14=10,990?I am so lost, I have no idea if i'm even on the right track..better send before I loose this! HELP!....Annie

anniee

aha, Ann, I see we were thinking alike! Honest I didnt copy you!

I feel like i'm getting busted in school for copying! (at first I thought 238, too)

Lynn12

Ann, I did it slightly different

for each backpack, there are 196 kitten legs and 28 cat legs

196 + 28 = 224

each girl has 7 backpacks

224 x 7 = 1,568

there are 7 girls

1,568 x 7 = 10,976

and they have 14 legs

10,976 + 14 = 10,990

lvtwoqlt

I thought that this would go on longer but the answer is 10,990. It took me about 15 minutes to get the right answer. The test came to me in an email that had a spread sheet attached with the solution but the spread sheet was password protected. If you did not have the correct answer, you could not see the solution.

Hope all had fun!

Sheila

anniee

OMG its amazing how it can be equated so many different way! ACK!

KariLynn

oops - forgot the girls - 1582

If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?
Dx 6/2/2005, IDC, 2cm, Stage IV, 14/25 nodes, mets, ER+/PR+, HER2-

KariLynn

That was pathetic.  I finally got it but I KNOW my 5th grader wouldn't (I check his math homework!)

Had to close the calculator and go to a spreadsheet - I blame the time and the chemo earlier today!!

lvtwoqlt

I thought it was fun, makes you think logically.

Sheila

Lanee

I would say that there are 240 legs if you consider the bus driver!!

Lanee

lvtwoqlt

Lanee, you are not right. There is no mention of the bus driver in the problem so that does not fit into the equasion.

Try again

sheila

Lanee

OK, let me try one more time.  I didn't read the problem correctly and this time I'll leave out the bus driver, although the girls should not be on a bus without a driver!!

7 girls X 2 legs = 14 legs

7 backpacks with 7 BIG cats = 49 cats X 4 legs = 196 BIG cat legs

49 Big cats X 7 kittens = 343 kittens X 4 legs = 1372 kitten legs

14 + 196 + 1372 = 1582 legs altogether!!

Considering I taught math, sure hope this is correct but I'm sure there must be some trick

Lanee

lvtwoqlt

Lets say that they are on the bus waiting for the driver to arrive. There is no trick, and you are wrong again. Read the question again, you are missing an important fact.

Sheila

AnneW

Oh, I see how I was misreading! EACH girl has 7 packs, EACH pack has 7 big cats, EACH big cat has 7 kittens.

Sheesh. Get me the calculator for exponents!

Anne

lvtwoqlt

Anne, you are on the right track now!

Sheila

4darmstrong

I came up with 72 counting the bus driver.

7 girls x 2 = 14

 7 kittens x 4= 28

7 cats x 4 = 28

56+14=70+ the driver

4darmstrong

I totally missed that each girl had 7 backpacks! Duh!

AnneW

Ain't no bus driver.

Anne, who also missed the backpack issue

AnneW

Sheila,

I was going to ask you to email me the answer but I looked at everyone else's (cheater that I am) and found it!

Anne
Dx 9/18/2007, ILC, <1cm, Stage I, Grade 1, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-