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February 07, 2007
The answer to the problem
is not 42, as the giant Earth computer predicted from Hitchhiker's Guide.
The correct answer is 1665. Winner of dinner is the lovely, talented, and persistent internationally renowned LongStory, followed by bookish sexy non-blogger JP (I'll buy him a beer), then Mike Prov, who when not solving math problems also shows nekkid pics of himself on his blog.
What I love as a math teacher is HOW someone solves a problem. Long Story solved it by making multiple copies of the puzzle and isolating specific shapes until she had a solution. JP made an excel spreadsheet that extended the iterations. I started with a manual table, figured out the pattern, then used a line of best fit correlation to find the algebraic solution for any size triangle. I saw at least three other strategies (some flawed, yet still creative).
I love math. I love watching students who believe they are not that good at math actually do well at math, because math is just finding strategies that work for you. I can multiply very large numbers in my head, but my strategy is entirely different from another math teacher. Example: to multiply 699x450, I say 7x4, then 7x5 (but shifted one place, so now 3150). Add 2 zeroes. Subtract 450, so 314,550. To me, this is easy, as I constantly am calculating answers on the fly.
Oops. I think I lost some readers there. Sorry.
Posted by G at February 7, 2007 08:21 PM
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Comments
I feel the same way when I see peers, 'n' esp. younger kids, when they really doubt themselves when it comes to art. I just love visitin' the first-year art periods in my art teacher's classroom 'n' have my friends ask me for help, but the most beautiful part is seein' them really struggle to learn, like someone might struggle to learn that triangle problem, 'n' have a big boost of confidence once the problem is solved 'n' finished. I find it funny how my friends that are so strong in math lack so much confident when it comes to drawing 'n' painting 'n' vice versa for me. But I still find a correlation 'n' integration between math 'n' art, as well as other subjects.
Oooo, I should include that in my essay.
Posted by: Doug at February 8, 2007 02:09 AM
David G and Dennis guessed correctly, I never did.
Posted by: MikeProv1 at February 8, 2007 02:40 AM
Crap. If I knew you were going to post the "how" I would have said something cooler that included the word algorithm.
Posted by: Long Story Longer at February 8, 2007 08:49 AM
I'm an excellent driver! Four minutes till Wapner!
Posted by: Blobby at February 8, 2007 09:59 AM
I got 1664. Hmm... I should start over.
Posted by: Robert at February 8, 2007 08:55 PM
It's nice when these things click, isn't it?
Posted by: Randy McDonald at February 12, 2007 02:27 AM
I do the same kind of math-y things. except for a slightly different route in this case:
7x400 + 7x50
append 2 zeros
subtract 450
It's really just a binomial expansion.
Hey, did you hear about the very simple proof that the sqrt(2) is irrational? it uses isosceles triangles.
Posted by: God of Biscuits at February 25, 2007 04:52 PM