Math Puzzler fun for the start of summer

Mr. Math Puzzler kicks off the start of the summer vacation period with a fun-filled quiz. One question involves upside-down numbers and another uses colored dice.

Again, some of the answers involve educated guesses, not rigid formulas. And a couple of them involve numerical progressions.

Young Saint Louis.com Math Puzzlers will continue through the summer months.

Why don't you tell some of your friends about the competition and have them enter. Figuring out answers will be a good way to keep your math skills in top-notch form.

If you are a first-time entrant in the Puzzlers, you can review some past Puzzlers to learn how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks. Mr. Math Puzzler is Wayne Hesse. He teaches math at Green Park Lutheran School in south St. Louis County.

YSL.com Puzzlers started in September, 2001. Using the Past Stories tab on the home page, pick a month and review past questions. Then, move to the next month for those answers.

By studying a series of questions and answers, you'll begin to understand how Mr. Math Puzzler thinks.

(For a listing of May winners and 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.

Now, you should be ready for the June contest.

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 June, 2003, Math Puzzler Contest:

Name: ________________________________ Age: ______

Address: ____________________ School: ______________

City:___________________, State:______ ZIP___________

Contact phone no.(____)____________________

The Math Puzzlers
(June, 2003)

1. What is the next number in this logical sequence of numbers?

4 5 7 11 19 ___

Answer: _______________

 

2. If you take one-fifth of the sum of 16 and a certain number, it will be twice as much as if you had subtracted 2 from that number.

Answer: _____________

 

3. What 3-digit number is the square of a number, and when rotated 180 degrees (upside down), is also the square of another number?

Answer:_____________

 

4. What two numbers when added together equal 56 as a sum, and when multiplied together equal 768 as the product?

Answer: _____________

 

5. Timothy and Urban play a game with two dice. But, they do not use the numbers. Some of the faces are painted red and the others blue. Each player throws the dice in turn. Timothy wins when the two top faces are the same color. Urban wins when the colors are different. Their chances are even. The first die has 5 red faces and 1 blue face. How many red and how many blue faces are there on the second die? (This is a probability question.)

Answer: _____________

 

6. Julie owns a good balance, but no weights. She decides to make her own weights by cutting a 121-gram bar of metal into smaller pieces. She has a system enabling her to weigh all whole numbers of grams from 1 through 121. How does Julie divide the bar? What is the least number of pieces possible?

Answer: _____________