Lots
of similar-looking Math Puzzlers in April
Some Math Puzzlers
for April will look familiar to those who are followers of
Mr. Math Puzzler. He is using new variations from some Puzzlers
he's used in previous editions.
Be on the lookout
for the way he words some questions. Also, remember Mr. Math
Puzzler encourages "educated guesses" as a good
way to figure out some puzzles.
Above all, Mr.
Math Puzzler wants you to have fun with these math exercises.
Mr. Math Puzzler is Wayne Hesse, a math teacher at Green Park
Lutheran School in South St. Louis County.
As we have suggested
in the past, one of the best ways to figure out how Mr. Math
Puzzler thinks is to look at past questions and answers.
The Mr. Math Puzzler
game has been included in Young Saint Louis.com since
September, 2001. That means, if you go into the archives,
you'll be able to find lots of past Math Puzzler stories which
give the answers to earlier Puzzlers.
Just click on
the Past Stories tab at the top of the home page. Then,
pick any month between September, 2001, and this edition.
Look at the answer story, which includes both the questions
and the answers.
In this edition,
if you click on the Puzzler answer story, you'll get the answers
to each of the six Puzzlers from the March issue.
Remember, first-time
entrants very seldom win. But, you might be an exception if
you study enough past questions and answers.
A reminder:
These Math Puzzlers can be quite challenging, especially for
younger kids. Remember, we don't mind if you get help from
a parent or older brother or sister. In fact, you might like
to make this a family activity.
Here's how to
enter:
- Print out
the following entry form.
- Fill out your
name, address and telephone number.
- Give your
answer to each of the six Math Puzzlers.
- Put your completed
entry into a stamped envelope.
- Mail your
entry to:
Math Puzzler Contest
Young Saint Louis.com
231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
Clayton, MO 63105
- All entries
must be postmarked by the 15th of the month
to be eligible.
-------------Clip
here to make entry-------------
Entry
for April, 2004, Math Puzzler Contest:
Name:___________________________________
Age: ____
Address: ______________________
School: _____________
City: ____________________,
State: ______ ZIP _________
Contact phone
no. (_______) ____________________
The
Math Puzzlers
(April, 2004)
1. The area of
a nine-meter square is how much larger than the area of a
square containing nine square meters?
Answer: _____________
2. Lisa and Ruth
each have $10 in the bank. Every month, Lisa plans to add
$1 to her account. Ruth plans to add $3 to her account every
month. If you don't consider interest, in how many months
will Ruth have twice as much money as Lisa?
Answer: ______________
3. On a prime
day, the month and the day are both prime numbers. How many
prime days will occur in the year 2004?
Answer: ______________
4. Assuming that
both boy and girl births are equally likely, which is more
common in a family of four children: an equal or unequal number
of boys and girls. Or is neither more common?
Answer: _______________
5. A quantity
of dirt can be moved by people in 12 days, by horses in 4
days, and by a steam engine in 2 days. If all work together,
how long will it take to move that quantity of dirt?
Answer: ________________
6. If 3@7 = 1
and 4@2 = 2 and 9@15 = 3 and 8@12 = 4 and 10@20 = 10, then
what is 6@6? (Hint: The @ symbol stands for a fictional
math operation. That's opposed to
authentic operation symbols such as + for addition, - for
subtraction and x for multiplication. By using the @ symbol,
Mr. Math Puzzler is asking you to brainstorm and find out
a math operation that is common to all these formulas.)
Answer: ________________
