Is this eastbound or westbound? 5AM or 5PM? Who’s protesting their latest great crisis in the middle of the freeway today? Is there a slight hint of mist on the road (I’m in SoCal). Any police chases? Is there a presidential visit scheduled? What freeways are closed for filming?
I always hated story problems, particularly the one about the bathtub where the water runs IN at one velocity and OUT at another, and how long before it runs over? As a plumber’s daughter, I knew that they are designed not to do that, these days. Well, yes, after a couple of days, if you walk out and just leave it. My teacher didn’t appreciate my explaining that, so dad called her and told her all about it.
After that we got the one with the two trains that leave the station at the same time.
And when has anyone had to know this in real life. When in real life have you started from your house at 35MPH without changing speed or taking a single turn?
Solving relatively (algebra for a first-grader? Yikes.) simple problems like this is good prep for solving real-world problems. If everybody felt like those disparaging this kind of problem-solving, the GPS you rely on would not work, among many other things. And if anyone was wondering, 5:40.
When the Rubiks Cube came out my father in law sat down with pencil and paper and solved it that way. Me, the only way I can solve it is to peel off the stickers.
I still don’t know how to do this kind of problem. I wish someone would post the algorithm. I can think of how to get the rate per minute for each traveler, and from that, how long it will take each one to go the whole 50 miles. But I can’t think how to compute when they will pass each other. There’s got to be a better and faster way to figure it than trial and error on number lines.
My wife and I leave home on a weekday at 9am, headed for the same office building. She is driving a car, there is a single highway to the destination with a speed limit of 45mph. The total distance is 7.75 miles. I am on a bicycle. Which traveler arrives at the destination first?
Answer: The bicycle arrives at 9:36. The car arrives at 9:45.
I loathe this kind of math problems. I’ve always relied on my life experience. Solving Calvin’s problem, I figured 5:40 simply by calculating the half way which would be 5:30 and since Calvin was traveling 5 mph faster, I figured he’d be 5 minutes faster…and Mr. Jones 5 minutes slower….well I was almost right, just 5 minutes short of the correct answer which according to the mathematicians in here is 5:40. I saw one problem-solving steps – wow, simple…but I could never calculate that way. My brain just is not wired to.
“Everytime I see a math word problem it looks like this: if I have 10 ice cubes and you have 11 apples. How many pancakes will fit on the roof? answer:Purple because aliens don’t wear hats” – Google Search
Should be Calvin and Higgs….There at least eleven possible solutions to this problem based on the locations of the bosons which are impossible to determine due to the pinhead voting preferences of the bubba factor which may account for the "Dark – matter’ which permeates eternity!
TwoStepsBack over 7 years ago
Why do I care? Who is Mr Jones?
BE THIS GUY over 7 years ago
5:40
SunflowerGirl100 over 7 years ago
If Calvin is driving, at what time will he run into Mr. Jones? Alternate question, at what time will he turn into Spiff and leave the planet?
Farside99 over 7 years ago
Is this eastbound or westbound? 5AM or 5PM? Who’s protesting their latest great crisis in the middle of the freeway today? Is there a slight hint of mist on the road (I’m in SoCal). Any police chases? Is there a presidential visit scheduled? What freeways are closed for filming?
The Calvinosaurus That Calvin Wanted To Discover over 7 years ago
Now calculate Calvin’s MPH.
Professor W over 7 years ago
But they have NOT given traffic, Calvin
somebodyshort over 7 years ago
Pass? PASS ? We all know it’s going to be a big KABLOOIE
orinoco womble over 7 years ago
I always hated story problems, particularly the one about the bathtub where the water runs IN at one velocity and OUT at another, and how long before it runs over? As a plumber’s daughter, I knew that they are designed not to do that, these days. Well, yes, after a couple of days, if you walk out and just leave it. My teacher didn’t appreciate my explaining that, so dad called her and told her all about it.
After that we got the one with the two trains that leave the station at the same time.
dlkrueger33 over 7 years ago
OMG, I still get nervous reading math questions like this! Wish I had been sharp enough to come up with a witty answer like Calvin! LOL
Gent over 7 years ago
I always knew those math questions were stupid trick questions…
cdward over 7 years ago
These things have me nightmares. My brother loved them. Go figure.
cubswin2016 over 7 years ago
This is where he finds out that the teacher has a sense of humor.
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 7 years ago
And when has anyone had to know this in real life. When in real life have you started from your house at 35MPH without changing speed or taking a single turn?
mattro65 over 7 years ago
Simple algebra first thing in the morning? Yucko!
stoneswivel over 7 years ago
Solving relatively (algebra for a first-grader? Yikes.) simple problems like this is good prep for solving real-world problems. If everybody felt like those disparaging this kind of problem-solving, the GPS you rely on would not work, among many other things. And if anyone was wondering, 5:40.
tom over 7 years ago
Ok. How many stopped to figure 20 till 6?
hunz63+gc over 7 years ago
40t +35t =50 (t=travel time in hours) t= 50/75 t= 2/3 travel time = 2/3 of an hour, 40 min. 5:40. QED
Alexander the Good Enough over 7 years ago
Q: How many mathematicians does it take to change a lite bulb?
BiggerNate91 over 7 years ago
Now wait just a second.
Calvin can’t drive!
somebodyshort over 7 years ago
When the Rubiks Cube came out my father in law sat down with pencil and paper and solved it that way. Me, the only way I can solve it is to peel off the stickers.
belgarathmth over 7 years ago
I still don’t know how to do this kind of problem. I wish someone would post the algorithm. I can think of how to get the rate per minute for each traveler, and from that, how long it will take each one to go the whole 50 miles. But I can’t think how to compute when they will pass each other. There’s got to be a better and faster way to figure it than trial and error on number lines.
stuart over 7 years ago
My wife and I leave home on a weekday at 9am, headed for the same office building. She is driving a car, there is a single highway to the destination with a speed limit of 45mph. The total distance is 7.75 miles. I am on a bicycle. Which traveler arrives at the destination first?
Answer: The bicycle arrives at 9:36. The car arrives at 9:45.
bluegirl285 over 7 years ago
You know, I sure as heck didn’t get ANY of these math problems when I was in first grade. It was always addition and subtraction stuff.
capricorn9th over 7 years ago
I loathe this kind of math problems. I’ve always relied on my life experience. Solving Calvin’s problem, I figured 5:40 simply by calculating the half way which would be 5:30 and since Calvin was traveling 5 mph faster, I figured he’d be 5 minutes faster…and Mr. Jones 5 minutes slower….well I was almost right, just 5 minutes short of the correct answer which according to the mathematicians in here is 5:40. I saw one problem-solving steps – wow, simple…but I could never calculate that way. My brain just is not wired to.
chromosome Premium Member over 7 years ago
“Everytime I see a math word problem it looks like this: if I have 10 ice cubes and you have 11 apples. How many pancakes will fit on the roof? answer:Purple because aliens don’t wear hats” – Google Search
dflak over 7 years ago
“You leave the Pennsylvania Station at a quarter to four.” How long does it take you to reach Baltimore?
locake over 7 years ago
Don’t give Calvin any ideas about driving his mom’s car. And if you drive under 55 miles per hour all the other drivers will honk and curse at you.
Spider-UK over 7 years ago
A plane crashes and every single person dies. But there are two survivors. Why did they survive?
Number Three over 7 years ago
I hate Maths, I was always bad at it. Still am.
xxx
weatherford.joe Premium Member over 7 years ago
A pretty advance math problem for a first grader. I couldn’t figure out this kind of problem until I got to high school.
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus Premium Member over 7 years ago
Can a 6 years old kid have a license?
chain gang charlie over 7 years ago
Should be Calvin and Higgs….There at least eleven possible solutions to this problem based on the locations of the bosons which are impossible to determine due to the pinhead voting preferences of the bubba factor which may account for the "Dark – matter’ which permeates eternity!
chain gang charlie over 7 years ago
The ‘Beverly hillbillies’ IS starting to make more sense…and so is The WWF’s Battle royal’s…. Trump won in case you didn’t know…..