Ask Me Help Desk

Ask Me Help Desk (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forum.php)
-   Math & Sciences (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=402)
-   -   5th grade math (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=252807)

  • Aug 25, 2008, 11:28 AM
    c c
    5th grade math
    This is a 5th grade math problem. This is not a tricky question. This is a real math question so don't say that a bus has no legs.

    There are 7 girls in a bus.
    Each girl has 7 backpacks.
    In each backpack, there are 7 big cats.
    For every big cat there are 7 little cats.

    Question: How many legs are there in the bus? There is no bus driver in this question.:eek:
  • Aug 25, 2008, 11:31 AM
    NeedKarma
    It's a multiplication question but there is information in that word problem that is not relevant (sneaky eh? :))

    Just think of this: what has legs in that list of stuff in the bus? And many legs does each thing have.
  • Aug 25, 2008, 12:23 PM
    NeedKarma
    You won't get the answer as per our policy.

    Also please familiarize yourself with the use of the commenting feature here:
    https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forum-...nes-24951.html
  • Aug 25, 2008, 01:04 PM
    c c
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NeedKarma
    It's a multiplication question but there is information in that word problem that is not relevant (sneaky eh? :))

    Just think of this: what has legs in that list of stuff in the bus? And many legs does each thing have.

    OK is the irrelevant info the 7 small cats because it doesn't say they are in the bus nor the back packs? Or is it that the girls didn't bring the back packs?

    All ways I thought of the problem are:
    1) assuming all are in the bus...
    for each girl there are 7 backpacks inside each are 7 big cats and 49 little cats then multiply by 4 legs then multiply by 7 since there are 7 girls then add two legs per 7 girls .
    that would be 2401 cats X 4 legs 9,604 legs for each girl and x 7 for 7 girls + 14 legs for the total legs of all 7 girls.
    I got 67242 legs in the bus

    2) if the little cats are not on the bus then
    it's just 7 big cats x 7 back packs x7 girls x 4 legs + 14 girl's legs. = 1386

    7 girls x 7 backpacks X 7 cats per backpack so there are 343 cats then 343 cats + 14
    1,386

    Here are various answers I got and checked and they were not counted as correct.
    1386
    67242
    9618
  • Aug 25, 2008, 01:10 PM
    c c
    7 little cats + 1 big cat = 8
    8 x 7 big cats = 56
    56 x 7 backpacks = 392
    392 x 7 girls = 2744
    2744 x 4 feet = 10976
    10976 + (7 girls x 2 feet) = 10990

    So there are 10990 total feet on the bus!!
    This is what I think now in thinking another way...
  • Aug 25, 2008, 01:14 PM
    Curlyben
    Look again at the number for each part.
    So;
    Girls - X
    Big cats - Y
    Small cats - Z

    Hints Y and Z are different numbers.

    So then work out the number of legs.
    Then add up.

    ** Edit - Do you understand WHY ?
  • Aug 25, 2008, 01:17 PM
    NeedKarma
    More hints

    Here are the things with legs:
    - girls
    - small cats
    - big cats

    You'll have to know the amount of each creature above and multiply by the correct amount of legs for that creature.

    Edit to add: Curly was thinking the same as I - I was sitting too long in edit mode, that'll teach me to multitask :)

  • All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:16 AM.