Solve this problem if you can

[LEWETHETIGER73]

I can't figure this out and it has bugged me most of the day. So who knows the answer?

You saw a shirt for $97

You didn't have the cash so you borrowed $50 from your Dad and $50 from your Mom.

$50 + $50= $100

You bought the shirt and had $3 change.

You gave your Mom $1 and your Dad $1 and keep the other $1 for yourself.
Now you owe your Dad $49 and your Mom $49.

$49 + $49 = $98 + your $1 = $99

Where is the missing $1 ?

[Prince Valiant]

Where ever you put that one dollar you kept.

[team beater]

49+49=98-1=97(shirt).......I don't get it....... why are you adding trying to figure out an equation that doesn't follow the storyline?

[fivonut]

There is no missing dollar. The dollar you kept is the change from the first purchase and was never part of your debt to your parents, therefore its incorrect to add it back into the first formula. 49+49=98+2 you paid on the debt equals 100.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

[lilws6]

my answer is in obama's pocket. But if you look at it you owe them $49 each right? you gave them $1 each previous right? thats $100 you made $1 on the deal some where i can't figure it out but i'm thinking you started with the dollar.

So you have 49+49=98 plus the 2 you paid them previous = 100 i win

[WhatsADSM]

49+49=98-1=97(shirt).......I don't get it....... why are you adding trying to figure out an equation that doesn't follow the storyline?
^^ this is right.

Because the amount still owed to your parents + your dollar wouldn't add up to the initial amount. Its a misapplication of a formula. The value of the item purchased shows up nowhere.

Think of it this way. Pretend it was a $79 dollar pair of jeans (you got $21 dollars back). And you paid both parents back $10 and kept a dollar. The wacky formula would be:
40 + 40 + 1 = 100?
Whereas the correct thing should be:
40 + 40 = 1(dollar you kept) + 79 (jeans purchased)

[Wagonbacker9]

^^ this is right.

Because the amount still owed to your parents + your dollar wouldn't add up to the initial amount. Its a misapplication of a formula. The value of the item purchased shows up nowhere.

Think of it this way. Pretend it was a $79 dollar pair of jeans (you got $21 dollars back). And you paid both parents back $10 and kept a dollar. The wacky formula would be:
40 + 40 + 1 = 100?
Whereas the correct thing should be:
40 + 40 = 1(dollar you kept) + 79 (jeans purchased)

Very nicely worded.

[Crawlin]

Union dues...

however, now you realize you should recall your parents because they took away your allowance when they expected you to have a job. Then you realize that while the union is negotiating your contracts you will never quite get ahead and will blame the private sector for your inability to afford said shirt. So now you will blackmail (collective bargain) your way to a higher wage and now BOOM, you can afford the shirt. However, since its not the exact shirt you want, you've known decided to go back and blackmail again and since your democratic leaders are in charge and need your voting support, they'll go along with whatever you want. Then you tell your parents who aren't in the union that their original $100 is just taxes to pay for necessities such a shirts (even though the private sector pays for their own shirts) , so now you've got the first shirt for free on the taxpayers, and then the second shirt is bought with the new higher wage!

All quite simple....

[Crawlin]

This is the same type question as the bat and ball one that confuse the hell out of some people.

You buy a bat and a ball. You spend $1.10 total. If the bat was a dollar more than the ball, how much was the ball?

[michelle]

Silly me. I was sleeping when I could have been on BCM doing math!

[BR3W CITY]

all your money is missing, your an idiot for buying a shirt that cost nearly 100$

[Rocket Power]

all your money is missing, your an idiot for buying a shirt that cost nearly 100$


This^, especially if you have to borrow money to piss it away on a $97 shirt.

[Prince Valiant]

To me, it's a simple accounting problem. Debts = 100 dollars (50 mom + 50 Dad) against Assets (97 dollar shirt+ 3 dollars in change)=100 dollars. So far, everything balances.

You give two dollars back to alleviate your debts and now owe (49 mom + 49 Dad)= 98 dollars in debts against assets (97 dollar shirt+ 1 dollar change) = 98 dollars.

Everything still balances out.

The example is misleading, trying to get you to focus on details that aren't important (the 100 dollars) and adding where there should be subtraction.

Here's an example:

You borrow 50 dollars from mom, and 50 dollars from dad to buy a 88 dollar fishing reel.

You purchase the fishing reel, and now get 12 dollars change, and give 5 back to your mom, and 5 back to your dad, keeping the odd 2 dollars for yourself. So now you owe your mom 45 dollars, and your dad 45 dollars. 45+45+2=92 dollars (are we missing 8 dollars?). If we add the 5 dollars we paid back to each, we now have 102 dollars! Where did the extra money come from?

See how easy it is to misdirect?

The reality is that the 45 and 45 should add to 90(the amount you owe), and the 2 you kept should subtract to 88 the amount of the purchase: 45+45=88+2 (or otherwise stated 45+45-2=88).

In the case above, 49+49-1=97 dollars, the amount purchased. You initially borrowed 100 dollars - 3 equaling 97 dollars, amount of the purchase. You paid down your debt by 2 dollars, still owe 98 dollars...the one you're holding can't be added to get to the amount you originally borrowed, which is the mistake this tries to get you to make. You can only get there by adding the amount you paid back already.

[Wagonbacker9]

This is the same type question as the bat and ball one that confuse the hell out of some people.

You buy a bat and a ball. You spend $1.10 total. If the bat was a dollar more than the ball, how much was the ball?


.05?

[WhatsADSM]

.05?

Yes.

That one was standard linear algebra?!

[Wagonbacker9]

Yes.

That one was standard linear algebra?!

Yeah... I was expecting there to be some catch that I didn't get... seemed too simple.

x+x+1=1.10

2x+1=1.10

2x =.10

x= .10/2

x=.05

where's michelle, I even showed my work!

[michelle]

You forgot your label. I am picky on labels.

[Wagonbacker9]

You forgot your label. I am picky on labels.

Yeah, I got docked for that in high school too... I guess some things never change.

[michelle]

And you probably used pen too. I am losing my patience with that. My 6th graders are not going to be happy when I require them to redo every assignment this semester. Eraseable pen doesn't count either.

[BR3W CITY]

You forgot your label. I am picky on labels.

Are you a "show all your work or I'll assume you cheated" teacher? (not saying you are) I hated that in school. I think I had more problems in math because everytime I could focus and get my mind working on the right track with formula's etc, I would have to stop and make sure I showed all my work. I would always second guess myself OR get the problem right and then lose points because I didn't show 1 step which was 99% common sense.
/semi related rant.

[michelle]

Are you a "show all your work or I'll assume you cheated" teacher? (not saying you are) I hated that in school. I think I had more problems in math because everytime I could focus and get my mind working on the right track with formula's etc, I would have to stop and make sure I showed all my work. I would always second guess myself OR get the problem right and then lose points because I didn't show 1 step which was 99% common sense.
/semi related rant.

I am typically a "within reason" kind of person. I tell them that if they copy from someone else that they are only hurting themselves. I am not going to lose sleep over it. But I like to see the work and I give credit when I see it on graded assignments, quizzes, or tests.

[05caddyext]

I hate math. Why isn't the answer just 1? Where does the x+x+1 =1.10 come in? There are only 2 objects, a ball and a bat. If the bat was 1 more than the ball, and you only spent 1.10 how is the answer only .05? I really hate math.

[Wagonbacker9]

I hate math. Why isn't the answer just 1? Where does the x+x+1 =1.10 come in? There are only 2 objects, a ball and a bat. If the bat was 1 more than the ball, and you only spent 1.10 how is the answer only .05? I really hate math.

.05 (thing one) + 1.05 (thing two which is 1 more than thing one) = 1.10

[Reverend Cooper]

calculator-end thread

[michelle]

calculator-end thread

No way!

[05caddyext]

I agree on the calculator. We are way way past the need to actually learn how to do anything the long, hard way. We have so much technology for every aspect of our lives, that teachers and professors should be teaching people how to use the devices they will encounter in their daily lives. There is no need to learn how to do anything without technology. It's never going away. So many people graduate college and have no clue how to use simple software that businesses use every day. Someone give me a credible argument as to why someone should learn how to do math without a calculator.

[Wagonbacker9]

you can't solve the ball/bat problem with a calculator without defining the equation. Sometimes, you actually do need a brain.

[MyP71Vic]

I am taking business classes right now and they require classes which go over Microsoft Office and a bunch of other programs as well.

[PureSound15]

I am taking business classes right now and they require classes which go over Microsoft Office and a bunch of other programs as well.

http://www.moneyandshit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/wat.jpg

I like turtles.

[michelle]

you can't solve the ball/bat problem with a calculator without defining the equation. Sometimes, you actually do need a brain.

Thank you! Sure, my students can use calculators, but they still need to understand what to calculate. At the same time, I am not going to allow a student to use a calculator to find what 4 x 8 is. Or the solution for 123 + (-46) = x.

I love technology, but to rely on it for everything is stupid.

[WickedSix]

http://www.moneyandshit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/wat.jpg

I like turtles.

made me laugh at work.... was such a non-sequitor....


knowing the basis of any field will help you to innovate in that field... you may be able to survive through life not knowing why things work... but you will never be able to change how they work then.

Understanding is power

[WickedSix]

Thank you! Sure, my students can use calculators, but they still need to understand what to calculate. At the same time, I am not going to allow a student to use a calculator to find what 4 x 8 is. Or the solution for 123 + (-46) = x.

I love technology, but to rely on it for everything is stupid.

I drove my HS math teacher nuts because I didn't .... well still don't know my multiplication tables..... he'd see little scribble to the side 8+8=16+16=32 ...... he asked me about it once and I told him 'I may not know the tables...but I know how to get to the answer'

[BR3W CITY]

made me laugh at work.... was such a non-sequitor....


knowing the basis of any field will help you to innovate in that field... you may be able to survive through life not knowing why things work... but you will never be able to change how they work then.

Understanding is power

And Knowing is half the battle.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okSIvb7zcQE/SnLxXycwM1I/AAAAAAAAFDs/nChGci_BUmY/s400/A6WZW.png

[LEWETHETIGER73]

I love how this thread has taken off!

[Prince Valiant]

I gave the problem to some of the kids at school to see how they'd do...not a one got it. Tomorrow, it's the teachers turn...