Comments on: In the wilderness http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/ seductive math problems for the modern mind Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:37:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Alan http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/#comment-38683 Alan Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:32:40 +0000 http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/?p=2407#comment-38683 If, in Richard's expression, x = 2 km, they went 8 km. If y = 2 km, the total distance is 6 km. That provides the range of possible distances, though if they went 6 km, it was actually a 2.5 hour hike. If, in Richard’s expression, x = 2 km, they went 8 km. If y = 2 km, the total distance is 6 km. That provides the range of possible distances, though if they went 6 km, it was actually a 2.5 hour hike.

]]> By: Charles http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/#comment-38680 Charles Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:02:34 +0000 http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/?p=2407#comment-38680 Perhaps "how long" does not refer to distance but time. Therefore, the hike was three and a half hours long. Perhaps “how long” does not refer to distance but time. Therefore, the hike was three and a half hours long.

]]> By: Jan Nordgreen http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/#comment-38673 Jan Nordgreen Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:21:52 +0000 http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/?p=2407#comment-38673 If there is not enough information to calculate the length of the hike, what about the minimum and maximum possible distances? If there is not enough information to calculate the length of the hike, what about the minimum and maximum possible distances?

]]> By: Michael Maguire http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/#comment-38671 Michael Maguire Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:18:00 +0000 http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/?p=2407#comment-38671 At its most simplistic, you hiked at a rate of 2 km / hr over 3.5 hours so you hiked 7 km total. It can't possibly be that easy, so I'm looking forward to the follow-up questions that sometimes come. At its most simplistic, you hiked at a rate of 2 km / hr over 3.5 hours so you hiked 7 km total. It can’t possibly be that easy, so I’m looking forward to the follow-up questions that sometimes come.

]]> By: Richard Sabey http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/2009/12/01/in-the-wilderness/#comment-38663 Richard Sabey Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:42:27 +0000 http://easyquestion.net/thinkagain/?p=2407#comment-38663 >How many people went on the hike? This is a verbal quibble. "Went...with my boss alone" could mean that you went only with your boss, i.e. 2 people went, namely you and your boss. Or it could mean that you went alone, and also that you went with your boss, which is yourself, as you are self-employed. >How long was it? Not enough info. Let x be the distance covered in the first half-hour, and y = 2 km - x. Then in the 7 half-hours of the trek, you covered x, y, x, y, x, y and x. Not enough info is provided to determine x and y separately. >How many people went on the hike?

This is a verbal quibble. “Went…with my boss alone” could mean that you went only with your boss, i.e. 2 people went, namely you and your boss. Or it could mean that you went alone, and also that you went with your boss, which is yourself, as you are self-employed.

>How long was it?

Not enough info. Let x be the distance covered in the first half-hour, and y = 2 km - x. Then in the 7 half-hours of the trek, you covered x, y, x, y, x, y and x. Not enough info is provided to determine x and y separately.

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