Math Problems

Problem of the Month - October 2023

If you roll two six-sided fair dice are you more likely to get an even result if you add the top numbers or if you multiply them?

Solution

You are more likely to get an even result if you multiply the dice.  If you add them the probability of getting an even number is ½.  If you multiply the numbers, the probability of getting an even number is ¾.

Math Problems

Problem of the Month - June 2023

Suppose there was one of six prizes inside your favourite box of cereal. 

How many boxes of cereal would you expect to have to buy to get all six prizes?

Simulate this with a six-sided die.  Roll the die and keep track of how many rolls it takes to get all 6 numbers. 

Repeat the experiment several times. 

Approximate the answer to this question by finding the mean (arithmetic average) of all of your results

Math Problems

Problem of the Month - May 2023

Can you find four consecutive numbers which add up to 10? 

How about four consecutive numbers that add to 22?  How about 110? 

Solution

1+2+3+4=10; 4+5+6+7=22; 26+27+28+29=110. 

Can you find four consecutive numbers that add to 298?

Math Problems

Problem of the Month - March 2023

You are ordering round pizzas. 

If you want more pizza, would it make sense to order two 12 inch diameter pizzas or one 18 inch diameter pizza?

 

Solution

If you wanted more pizza, it would make sense to order one 18 inch pizza. 

What if you wanted more crust? 

Would it be better to order two 12 inch diameter pizzas or one 18 inch diameter pizza?

Math Problems

December 2022 - Problem of the Month

How many squares do you see in this picture?  (There are more than 20)

Answer

There are 30 squares.  What if instead of a 4x4 grid, we started with a 5x5 grid.  How many squares would there be?

4 by 4 grid

 

Math Problems

November 2022 - Problem of the Month

74 means 7x7x7x7 which is equal to 2401 so when 74 is expressed as an integer, the last digit is a 1. 

What is the last digit of 711 when it is expressed as an integer?

Solution

The last digit is a 3.  What is the last digit of 7200 when it is expressed as an integer?

Math Problems