Math Mania puzzles feature "Rule
of 24"
The
December Math Mania will feature the "Rule of
24." And your understanding of the "order of operations" will
figure prominently in getting the answers correct.
Ms. Amy Ruzicka is Ms. Math Mania.
Her "day job" is as a math teacher at St. Gabriel's School
in south St. Louis.
She likes to vary the types of math puzzlers she features
each month. In November, her Sudoku puzzles turned out to
be pretty easy for many of the kids who entered.
We'll see about this month.
For December, Ms. Ruzicka gives a series of six sets of numbers.
Your job is to figure out what math functions to use-and in
what order-to make all the answers to come out to 24.
That's using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
and parentheses. And be sure you keep in mind the "order of
operation" which you use to figure out a range of math questions.
Ms. Math Mania gives you one
sample question and answer. But, you might want to use a little
bit of advice: Go back to review the order in which you apply
different math functions.
For many of you, that would be something you got in 5th grade.
The rules for entering Math Mania remain the
same. Each month, YSL.com publishes a number of math
brainteasers. We also publish an entry form that can be printed
out and the answers filled in.
If you answer all the math puzzles correctly, you'll have
a chance to win a Borders book certificate. Depending on the
number of correct entries, YSL.com will give from three
to five $10 certificates.
To enter the December contest, fill out the attached entry
form and give answers to the six "Rule of 24" questions. Be
sure to follow instructions when completing the entry form.
In the January edition of YSL.com, we'll publish
the answers to these December puzzles and name any winners.
