Click here [1] for the Problem Extension Worksheet version of the Problems of the Week.
Click here [2] for an MS Word version of the Problems of the Week.
Click here [3] for the Canadian Problem Extension Worksheet version of the Problems of the Week.
Click here [4] for a Canadian MS Word version of the Problems of the Week.
[5]Lower Elementary:
Question: Eleanor is at a party where they are serving shrimp. She eats 5 shrimp at the beginning of the party. At the end of the party, she eats 7 more shrimp. She also takes a number of shrimp home with her. If Eleanor takes a total of 20 shrimp at the party, then how many does she take home?
Answer: 8 shrimp
Solution: Eleanor eats 5 + 7 = 12 shrimp at the party. Since she takes a total of 20 shrimp, we can find out how many she takes home by subtracting the shrimp she eats. Eleanor takes 20 – 12 = 8 shrimp home.
[6]Upper Elementary:
Question: Michael is reading a book that is 3,600 pages long. It’s a very long book, but Michael can read very quickly. If Michael reads 240 pages per day, then how long will it take him to finish the book?
Answer: 15 days
Solution: To solve this problem, we find out how many times 240 pages go into 3,600 pages. Since 3,600 ÷ 240 = 15, it takes Michael 15 days to read the book.
[7]Middle School:
Question: Chidi is a philosophy professor who teaches on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Did Chidi teach on September 19, 2016? Find a way to solve this problem without looking up the date. You may look up how many days are in each month.
Answer: Yes
Solution: To solve this problem, we first need to know how many days have passed since September 19, 2016. On October 8, 2018, the answer is 749 days. Since 749 is a multiple of 7 and there are 7 days in a week, it was also a Monday on September 19, 2016. That means that Chidi did teach on that date.
[8]Algebra and Up:
Question: Good Janet is on a train traveling 50 miles per hour. Bad Janet is on another train traveling 75 miles per hour along the same route in the opposite direction. If Good Janet and Bad Janet are 150 miles apart and traveling toward each other, then how far will Good Janet have traveled when their trains pass each other?
Answer: 60 miles
Solution: Good Janet and Bad Janet get 50 + 75 = 125 miles closer to each other each hour. So, since 150 miles ÷ 125 miles per hour = 6/5 of an hour, it will take them 6/5 of an hour (or 1 hour and 12 minutes) to pass each other. In 6/5 of an hour, Good Janet travels 6/5 × 50 = 60 miles.