Anyone here good at doing math word problems? im stuck!

[Blueeyes101817]

well i started college yesterday and i have always hated word problems--the whole c lass was stuck on this one, we kept coming up with the same answer....see if i can get any help here! thanks


"Four people want to cross a bridge on a very dark night..They all begin on the same side. You have to get all four of them across to the other side as quickly as possible...There is only one flashlight-a maximum of TWO people can cross the bridge at one tie-Any group that crosses (either 1 or 2 people) must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth-it cannot be thrown andd so on--No one can be carried--Each person walks at a different speed..Person A takes 1 minute to cross..Person B takes 2 min...person C takes 5 min..>Person D takes 10--A pair must walk together at a rate of the slower person's pace--what is the least amount of time needed to get all four people across the bridge?"

UPDATE--GOT THIS ONE! THANKS..STILL LOOKING FOR HELP WITH THE SEQUENCE QUESTION!!

I got 19, and that wasnt the smallest...so help if you can please! thanks so much

 

[SherryNC]

Holy crap, I'm heading straight back to the lounge for a drink after reading that.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

ill add the other one we got stuck on too--
its a "find the next 3 terms of the following sequence"

5, 8, 15, 31, 61, 110, ____, ____, ____

thanks again! im horrible in math and cant get these answers and its driving me crazy

 

[Blueeyes101817]

hahahahh Sherry!!

 

[minniepumpernickel]

You want to use inductive and deductive reasoning, and to look for patterns too. I think that your last problem shows a pattern in the sequence.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

You want to use inductive and deductive reasoning, and to look for patterns too. I think that your last problem shows a pattern in the sequence.

thanks-looking at it again..i can never pick up these patterns..haha

 

[GoodFairies]

well i started college yesterday and i have always hated word problems--the whole c lass was stuck on this one, we kept coming up with the same answer....see if i can get any help here! thanks


"Four people want to cross a bridge on a very dark night..They all begin on the same side. You have to get all four of them across to the other side as quickly as possible...There is only one flashlight-a maximum of TWO people can cross the bridge at one tie-Any group that crosses (either 1 or 2 people) must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth-it cannot be thrown andd so on--No one can be carried--Each person walks at a different speed..Person A takes 1 minute to cross..Person B takes 2 min...person C takes 5 min..>Person D takes 10--A pair must walk together at a rate of the slower person's pace--what is the least amount of time needed to get all four people across the bridge?"

I got 19, and that wasnt the smallest...so help if you can please! thanks so much

I just worked this one out, and the smallest is 17. If you need further clues, say the word.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I just worked this one out, and the smallest is 17. If you need further clues, say the word.

okay thanks--im going to go work on it more, and if i keep getting stuck, i will PM you! i keep ending up doing the same thing, in a different order haha

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I also got 17. If the answer is lower than that, I'm mystified. If you'd like me to "spell it out", I will, but the hint I'll give now is, you won't get there by making "1" go back and forth all the time.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Do you have the answers to the problems in the back of you math book? Mine does, and I worked through them all first and then looked to see if I got the right. I got some wrong, but I have class at two today and she'll probably go over the homework. Good luck!

 

[GoodFairies]

I also got 17. If the answer is lower than that, I'm mystified. If you'd like me to "spell it out", I will, but the hint I'll give now is, you won't get there by making "1" go back and forth all the time.

Yes, and to just add a touch further, avoid your gut instinct of getting rid of the slowpoke immediately. That should help you solve your puzzle.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Do you have the answers to the problems in the back of you math book? Mine does, and I worked through them all first and then looked to see if I got the right. I got some wrong, but I have class at two today and she'll probably go over the homework. Good luck!

this is a work sheet with 20 some problems on it..i got them all but these 2...so frustrating haha..
im glad you guys got it..i was doing A back and forth and got rid of D first--goingto try them without doing that...be back in a bit thanks so much guys and sorry for being the math dummy

 

[illini]

I too am a math dummy-will you pm me so I get it??

Thanks, Laurie

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I too am a math dummy-will you pm me so I get it??

Thanks, Laurie

glad im not the only one--boy will this be a long semester!!

--as for the sequencing problems--i know to look for some type of pattern so i can finish ,,is there any hints you math smarties have on to what to do if you cant pinpoint the sequence--i just looked at more of my homework and i have 3 more sequences...i just look at the numbers and cant think of a pattern ..with these, i have the answers (these are from the book) but still dont know why--am i really just stupid or am i missing a trick?

 

[malibuconlee]

Would someone please post or PM the answer to the first problem (or both). I am just not getting it, and I'm usually pretty good at math.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Would someone please post or PM the answer to the first problem (or both). I am just not getting it, and I'm usually pretty good at math.

i just asked one of the posters that figured it out to PM it to me also..i keep getting 19 or 20 minutes and im going crazy!!

 

[cheyita]

Well I got the bridge question, but I'm still working on the sequencing...

 

[JimB.]

I came up with 19.

3 trips across at 2,5 & 10 minutes + 2 trips back at 1 minute each.

It seems like the "1 minute trip" person will get a lot of exercise in this problem.........

 

[cheyita]

You really want us to post the answer to get 17?

 

[Blueeyes101817]

I came up with 19.

3 trips across at 2,5 & 10 minutes + 2 trips back at 1 minute each.

that is what i got as well..as we walked out the door, the prof said , its not 19--figure it out for next class