Ten Non-Routine Problem Solving Favorites for Math 129

Compiled by Oakley D (O.D.) Hadfield New Mexico State Univer ity

Problem 1 - Paint Mixing

! painter "a two b#cket $ one containin% preci ely one %allon of black paint and one containin% preci ely one %allon of w"ite paint. He po#r one pint (one&eic"t" %allon) of w"ite paint into t"e black b#cket (a #me t"ere i ample room) and mixe t"oro#%"ly. He t"en po#r one pint of t"i mixt#re back into t"e w"ite b#cket and mixe it t"oro#%"ly. 'ot" b#cket now once a%ain contain preci ely one %allon of paint. ("e painter i concerned wit" "ow t"e percenta%e or fractional portion of w"ite paint in t"e black b#cket compare to t"e percenta%e or fractional portion of black paint in t"e w"ite b#cket. )"ic" b#cket "a t"e "i%"e t percenta%e or ratio of minority to ma*ority paint color+

Problem 2 Counterfeit Rings

! balance cale wit" no mea #rement markin% i # ed to determine w"ic" of nine %old rin% $ all identical in appearance$ i t"e one t"at wei%" le t"an t"e ei%"t ot"er d#e to replacement of ome of t"e %old wit" c"eaper alloy . )"at i t"e minim#m n#mber of time t"at t"e balance cale m# t be # ed for compari on of one or more rin% a%ain t ot"er in order to determine w"ic" one of t"e nine rin% i co#nterfeit+

Problem

!atermelons

! pile of watermelon wei%" ,-- po#nd . ("e pile ( a are t"e individ#al watermelon ) i ../ water. 0f t"e watermelon dry #p #ntil t"ey are .1/ water$ "ow m#c" will t"e entire pile wei%"+

Problem " Roun# Tri$$ing

0f yo# travel at a peed of 2- mp" to yo#r de tination$ and t"en ret#rn at a peed of .- mp"$ w"at i yo#r avera%e peed for t"e ro#nd trip+

Problem % &arth Cin'h

0ma%ine a cable fa tened n#% aro#nd t"e eart" alon% t"e e3#ator. Now loo en t"e cable o t"at it i 2 feet lon%er and t"# not o perfectly n#% anymore. How "i%" off t"e %ro#nd will t"e cable be+ ! #me t"e eart" "a a circ#mference of 45$--- mile and i a perfect p"ere.

Problem ( )a'ation *estination

6o# wi " to avera%e 7- mp" on a trip to a partic#lar vacation de tination. 0f yo# travel t"e fir t "alf of t"e di tance to yo#r de tination at an avera%e of 2- mp"$ "ow fa t m# t yo# travel t"e econd "alf to meet yo#r %oal of an overall avera%e of 7- mp"+

Problem + Railroa# &x$ansion

! teel rail one mile lon% fa tened at bot" end to t"e eart". ! in problem 8$ yo# can a #me t"e circ#mference of t"e eart" i 45$--- mile and i a p"ere$ if t"i i needed. On an exce ively "ot day$ t"e rail expand one foot in len%t" and b#ckle . !pproximately "ow "i%" off t"e %ro#nd i t"e middle point of t"e rail+

Problem , Soft-*rin- Plant

! road i eventy (9-) mile lon%. ! %a oline ervice tation i located at eac" of five mile po t marker $ namely -$ ,-$ 4-$ 8-$ and 9-. !t w"ic" mile marker ( or fractional po ition between two mile marker ) "o#ld a oft&drink di trib#tin% company b#ild t"eir plant if t"e owner wi "e to minimi:e t"e total di tanc2e to be traveled per week if deliverie are made to eac" %a oline tation once per week+ 0n ot"er word $ milepo t - receive deliverie on Monday only$ milepo t ,- receive deliverie on (#e day only$ etc. Once yo# "ave arrived at a ol#tion$ #ppo e a new ervice tation i b#ilt at milepo t 2-$ w"ic" will receive a delivery every Sat#rday. How doe t"i c"an%e yo#r an wer$ and "ow doe it c"an%e yo#r %eneral r#le for olvin% #c" problem +

Problem 9 Floor Tiling

M . ;ivera wi "e to tile "er cla room floor wit" 3#are tile . S"e want to be able to # e w"ole tile $ wit"o#t c#ttin% any piece . ("e rectan%#lar floor "a dimen ion 1.5 meter by 9.4 meter . )"at i t"e minim#m n#mber of w"ole identical 3#are tile re3#ired and w"at are t"e dimen ion of eac" tile+

Problem 1. Foot Ra'e

Sally and ;amona were competin% in a fo#r&lap$ one&mile foot race. Sally< tyle wa to r#n at a con tant rate of ,4 mp". ;amona decided to r#n "er fir t t"ree lap at ,, mp"$ and ave a =kick< in order to r#n a ,7 mp" pace for t"e fo#rt" and final lap. )"o win t"e race$ and by "ow many min#te or econd +