Math Teachers - Homework Help Please!

[momsully]

DS10 has this problem on his homework and I can't help him. Any suggestions:

There are some numbers that can be made into only one rectangle. Find all these numbers up to 50.

Thanks for your help!

 

[AshleyW]

DS10 has this problem on his homework and I can't help him. Any suggestions:

There are some numbers that can be made into only one rectangle. Find all these numbers up to 50.

Thanks for your help!

I'm not sure if you're looking for help or answers, so here's some help first:

For example, the number 12 can make several rectangles: 6x2, 3x4, 1x12. So this is asking, what numbers can only make one rectangle - such as the number 3, where the only rectangle it can make is 3x1.

Hope this helps!

 

[redlight]

I'm confused by the question. What does it mean for a number to be made into a rectangle?

 

[AshleyW]

I'm confused by the question. What does it mean for a number to be made into a rectangle?

It means you make a shape on a piece of graphing paper with that many blocks. So for the number 6, you would show the different combinations of 6 blocks you could fill in that would still make a rectangle - 3x2, 2x3, 1x6, etc.

 

[redlight]

I'm not sure if you're looking for help or answers, so here's some help first:

For example, the number 12 can make several rectangles: 6x2, 3x4, 1x12. So this is asking, what numbers can only make one rectangle - such as the number 3, where the only rectangle it can make is 3x1.

Hope this helps!

So, is she asking for all prime numbers up to 50?

 

[momsully]

I know that the answer is the prime numbers, I just don't know how to explain them to him.

 

[AshleyW]

So, is she asking for all prime numbers up to 50?

Yep.

 

[kaytieeldr]

See AshleyW's response, explaining 'rectangles'.

Based on that - and it makes perfect sense - there's a very simple way to determine which numbers only make one rectangle . Does the OP want another hint?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know that the answer is the prime numbers, I just don't know how to explain them to him.

Use Ashley's description utilizing graph paper.

 

[momsully]

Thanks everyone - he drew them out and came up with the answer!