Winners from last weeks math problem, and the new problem of the week

Submitted by david.thacker on

The winners from our last Math Problem of the Week, Decorating Pumpkins Problem 

Answer: 60 different combinations

Winners:  Jessica Anderson, Gavin Campbell, Eli Casetta, Peyton Christensen, Angela Cook, Daxton Davis, Kennedy Frame, Lacey Gardner, Alex Gowon, Andrew Gunyan, Beau Jensen. Brock Johnson, Maddy Johnson, Natalie Kuhni, Brok McLeod, Melissa Monroe, Ethan Morley, Mason Olson, Morgan Olson, Nathan Ramirez, Britton Redd, Cassidy Simons, Zach Staheli, Sadie Stewart, Megan Vehar, Matthew Whitaker, and Wei Williams

Our new problem of the week is:

The Rope Bridge

Chances of Survival:  Slim to None

Survival Strategies:  analytical Thinking

Death By:  ZOMBIES!!!!!

 The Challenge:

Arnie, Bella, Carlos, and you are trapped in the Andes Mountains, being chased through Incan ruins by zombies.  Your vacation could not have gone any worse.  The zombies are making their way up the mountain now – they’re about 20 minutes away – and they obviously have a “take no prisoners” policy.  You need to get away – and fast!!!

But how?  You know that a local helicopter makes daily pickups at 6pm exactly – but on the other side of a rope footbridge crossing a deep mountain gorge.

You go as fast as you can to the bridge – which is a swaying, rickety structure with a sheer drop of several thousand feet.  Because it’s now dark, and the bridge is so rickety, and you have only one flashlight between you, the flashlight is going to have to be carried back and forth.

You explain, “We can do this if we think logically.  No more than 2 people can cross at the same time, and we know from gym class that some of us are faster than others.  I figure that I can cross in 1 minute, Bella in 2 minutes, Carlos in 3 minutes, and Arnie in 8 minutes.” 

It’s 5:44 pm.  You need to hustle if you’re going to make it to the helicopter in time??

Can you determine how to get all 4 of you across the bridge, 2 at a time, in time for the 6pm pickup, making sure that each person crossing can use the flashlight?