The
final offering from Mr. Math Puzzler
After providing
fun puzzles for three years, Mr. Math Puzzler is going to
take a well-deserved vacation.
Wayne Hesse, an
8th grade math teacher at Green Park Lutheran School, has
been Mr. Math Puzzler since September, 2001.
That means he's
posed over 200 Math Puzzlers for your contemplation and enjoyment.
Young Saint
Louis.com plans to continue a math component on your website.
We'll be announcing the new math initiative during the coming
school year.
For his finale,
Mr. Math Puzzler is offering a variety of questions. Some
are tough and some are relatively easy. But, all of them require
some creative thinking by the YSL.com readers.
If you've just
started working the Math Puzzlers, you'll still be able to
hone your math skills by using the YSL.com archives.
Just click on the Past Stories tab at the top of the
home page.
You will be able
to find Math Puzzlers archived all the way back to September,
2001. You can just open one of those issues and start figuring.
But, now you'll be able to find your answers without waiting
a whole month.
Just click on
any month and figure the Puzzlers. Then, click on the following
month. You'll find the answers along with an explanation of
each answer.
If you want to
enter this final Math Puzzler competition, you might like
to do some checking of past editions. That way, you'll see
how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.
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 want
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
answers to 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 August, 2004, Math Puzzler Contest:
Name: ___________________________________
Age: ____
Address: ______________________
School: _____________
City:_____________________,
State:_____ ZIP___________
Contact phone
no.(____)____________________
The
Math Puzzlers
(August, 2004)
1. What number
should be removed from this list so that the mean of the remaining
numbers is 6.1?
1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Answer: _______________
2. When George
took his place in the marching band, he noticed that he was
10th from the front, 7th from the back, 3rd from the left
and 8th from the right in the rectangular formation. How many
members were in the band?
Answer: _____________
3. What is the
remainder when the product (1492) (1776) (1812) and (1999)
is divided by 5?
Answer: _____________
4. When the 171st
positive even integer is subtracted from the 220th positive
odd integer, the result is z, determine the value of z.
Answer: _____________
5. The energy
saved from one recycled aluminum can will operate a television
for 3 hours. How many aluminum cans would have to be recycled
to furnish enough energy to operate 680 television sets for
4.5 hours per day for one week?
Answer: _____________
6. Joan, Tim and
Karen each start with the same positive number. Joan subtracts
1, doubles that result and then adds 2. Tim doubles his number,
then subtracts 1 from the result and then adds 2. Karen subtracts
1 from her number, adds 2 to the result and finally doubles
the answer. Who will get the largest final answer? (Hint:
You can use any positive number to do this problem or, if
you use some principles of algebra, you don't even need a
number to figure which person has the largest final answer.)
Answer: _____________
