Some Math Puzzlers need more than a formula

Mr. Math Puzzler decided to give you some extra-fun questions in July. There will be fewer formulas and more educated guesses in this list of Puzzlers.

He's even thrown in a question about a farmer with an artistic touch. This one doesn't even have a numeric answer; you answer the question with a design.

Wayne Hesse, our Mr. Math Puzzler, thought the summer vacation month of July would be a good time to give some leeway in answering questions. Not only are the questions "looser;" there are a couple that have more than one correct answer.

So, get your educated guessing caps on and answer away.

Young Saint Louis.com is continuing the Math Puzzlers during the summer. That's so you can have some fun while keeping up your math reasoning skills. Why not get together with your neighborhood chums and each fill out a Math Puzzler entry form. You can have a little competition to see how many can get all of them correct.

If you or your friends are first-time entrants, you might like to review some past Puzzlers to learn how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.

YSL.com Math Puzzlers started in September, 2001. Using the Past Stories tab on the home page, pick a past month and you can review past questions and check answers the next month.

By studying past questions and answers, you'll see what Mr. Math Puzzler likes.

(To see the June answers, click here.)

Young Saint Louis.com likes it when kids who enter the Math Puzzler competition get the correct answers. We list all winners the following month. We also give out up to three $10 Borders gift certificates as an extra bonus.

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:

1. Print out the following entry form.
2. Fill out your name, address and telephone number.
3. Give your answers to the six Math Puzzlers.
4. Put your completed entry into a stamped envelope.
5. Mail your entry to:
   
   Math Puzzler Contest
   Young Saint Louis.com
   231 So. Bemiston Ave., Suite 800
   Clayton, MO 63105
   
   
6. All entries must be postmarked by the 15th of the month to be eligible.

-------------Clip here to make entry-------------

Entry for July, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:

Name: _______________________________ Age: _______

Address: ___________________ School: _______________

City:_____________________, State:_____ ZIP__________

Contact phone no.(____)____________________

The Math Puzzlers
(July, 2003)

1. The dragons Argothel and Bargothel like to get together for fiery conversations. They live some distance apart, each in his own cave. One day, Argothel left home to visit Bargothel at exactly the same time that Bargothel left home to visit Argothel. The day being most agreeable, both dragons decided to proceed at a rather leisurely rate. So, rather than fly, they walked. Argothel walked at a constant rate of 24 miles per hour and Bargothel at a constant rate of 36 miles per hour. How far apart were they five minutes before they met? (We've had a similar question to this one in the past.)

 

Answer: _______________

 

2. We have an old-fashioned grandfather clock that strikes the exact number of times each hour to indicate the correct time. It takes 15 seconds to strike 6 o'clock. How long will it take to strike 12 o'clock?

 

Answer: _____________

 

3. Place the numbers one through eight in the squares shown so that no consecutive numbers occur next to each other in adjoining squares either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

 

Answer: _____________

 

4. Can you take the digits 1 through 9 to form the numerator and denominator for a fraction that is equal to 1/2?

 

Answer: _____________

 

5. There once was a very artistic farmer with 10 fruit trees. He wanted to plant them in five straight rows with 4 trees in each row. How did he lay out his orchard? (Remember, there is no numeric answer. Your answer must be in the shape of the orchard's design.)

 

 

 

Answer: _____________

 

6. A water tower has three drains. One drain could empty the tank in 45 hours, one in 15 hours and the third one in 30 hours. How long would it take to empty the tower if all three drains were opened? (This is not going to give you a nice even-numbered answer.)

 

Answer: _____________