by besty 30 Replies latest jw friends
81 (3^4)
It's the same calculation for figuring the total number of possible keys given a set number of tumblers and a set number of tumbler heights in lock cylinder.
This totally off-the-wall observation comes from inheriting and experimenting with a key machine -- LOL
LOL @ TD.
Syl
Oh, didn't see your post, Tammy.
This almost-58-year old can't.
My little JW daughter's high school calculus teacher was an ex-Marine.
My daughter did so well - she learned calculus in kindergaten - that he told his commanding officer about her.
She received a certificate of commendation from the United States Marines!
Take that WT!!!
Syl
Maybe I'm TOO tricky but I don't see 81 as a correct answer. Each shell can be carried home SIX ways. (In kid one's bucket/kid two's bucket/kid three's bucket/kid one's hand/kid two's hand/kid three's hand) - and this doesn't even take into account the chance that one or more of the kids has pockets. We're looking at 1296 IF there are no pockets. Why must a shell be in a bucket?
3 4 is only correct if which shell is in which bucket is taken into account. We'd have to know if any shell in any bucket only counts once or if each combination of shells and buckets is considered unique.
For example: We'll number the shells 1-4 and call the buckets A-C. If 2 is carried in A does that matter or is it just a shell in a bucket? I'm thinking the asker is only interested in conceivable amounts per bucket, in which case it would be 4 and not 3 4 :
4 in one bucket
3 in one bucket and 1 in another
2 in two buckets
2 in one bucket and 1 in two buckets.
3 4 is only correct if which shell is in which bucket is taken into account
How many different ways can the children take the shells home,
Seems pretty clear that it wants to take into account all ways to take the shells home.
They could take pictures of all the shells and post them on their facebook page, then leave the shells in the classroom for the other children to look at.
(21st century answer)
I have a child that age and she goes to a great school. We're NOWHERE near math like that yet. Is this a special advanced school for genius 6 year olds? All I can say is WOW!!!
Besty
Wife wants to know if this was a story problem, presented the way you did here, or an experiment. She said if it was the first, and her child, she would pull said child from the school. However, she's done things similar to this in class, ie give them some buckets and shells and let them puzzle it out. As long as you're not shooting for an actual exact (i.e. right) answer, it is good training in logical thinking. Which six year olds are just starting to learn.
ye let me be clear on the situation
the 6YO in question is 'normal' not a future Google employee, and his maths skills are as you would expect from a 6YO - ie this problem is logically beyond him
i am taking the view that the teacher is easing them into logical thinking...we sent his paper back to school with an outline of how we approached the problem with him (brute force list making) and said we got to 27 combinations before his mind wandered off the reservation...
