Elka Knits: More yarn porn and why I don't get involved with schoolwork

February 14, 2005

More yarn porn and why I don't get involved with schoolwork

Riddle me this:

It costs 75cents to go to the pool. You would like to take some friends to the pool. You have saved $9.75. How many friends can you take to the pool? While you think about the answer gratuitis yarn porn{gotta thwart those smutsters}:

Ah Tagliatti. From my Tagliatti dreams last year. No not last years yarn but my giftie to myself to fufill my Tagliatti Dreams. I asked for it last year and it finally arrived~ asked as in ordered. Just the thing to pick me up after the wretched last week.

OK have you thought hard on the riddle? The teacher says the answer is 13. Elka insists the answer is 12. Of course 9.75/75=13 but your not gonna pay for your friends to get in and have pool fun and watch from outside the gates are you? And the question said how many friends not how many people total including yourself. I live by the supposition that the reason a math problem is presented in word form is to be trickity instead of strait forward[9.75/13=? is straitforward] This is why my kid's teachers either hate me or think I am a moron and its a miracle my kids know anything. I don't know which sentiment it is but I am sure its one of those two.

Posted by Elka at February 14, 2005 11:36 AM

Comments

Bah. The teacher is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The question is very specific about how many friends you can take, and that's 12, tricky wording or not. And people wonder why our kids can't do math.... grrr.
The yarn porn is spectacular. Sooo yummy.

Posted by: hollyo at February 14, 2005 01:13 PM

Wash U math major agrees with you

Posted by: Lauren at February 14, 2005 03:05 PM

Hey - I tutored college and high school math for 3 years. You are correct.

I can't believe you ordered that tagliatelli - of course, you knit the same sample I did - and they ended up looking totally different.

Posted by: Lizzy at February 14, 2005 03:36 PM

Smart kid!

Posted by: Danielle at February 15, 2005 12:01 AM

Elka, you are right but that is why I am an Nurse Practitioner. I would have read the question, did the division and never thought any deeper. And in the end, would be on the outside looking in.

Posted by: Rosemarie at February 15, 2005 05:50 PM

Haha, that's tricky. I think word problems hold value since real life math issues never come in that 9.75/13 format, but that one's sly. Most of my teachers would have given an extra point for picking up on that wording issue :p

Posted by: Emily at February 20, 2005 09:01 AM

As usual, I have to throw a monkey wrench into the situation. I can't help but overthink things. What if it's one of those places where if you live in the community it's free and visitors have to pay?
That yarn is yummy....

Posted by: Carole at February 20, 2005 05:44 PM