115 replies to this topic

[storm]

What happened to all of you? why are you so confused with a primary school math problem

[miya]

you know you could just change the denominator of 1/2 and 1/3 to 3/6 and 2/6 which are equivlent fractions, then just find whats left which is 1/6 and then multiply be 8
hears an example
1/2=3/6
1/3=2/6
3/6-2/6= 1/6
1/6=8ft.
8*6=48ft

That's what I originally got as an answer, but I started thinking that maybe the under ground section of the pole would be considered out of water:

3/6 under ground (not in water)
2/6 in water
1/6 sticking out (not in water)

4/6 out of water

4/6 = 8ft
1/6= 2ft.
6/6=12ft.

Therefore, depending on how you take the wording of the puzzle, the pole is either 48, or 12 feet long.

[Catlo]

I believe that the pole is only 12 feet long.

I believe that your math is way off.

[Smaptastic]

Honestly if you can't get this one, you really shouldn't be posting on a logic puzzles board.

Find the lowest common denominator for 1/2 and 1/3. It's 6.

1/2 = 3/6
1/3 = 2/6

3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

With 5/6 of the pole accounted for, the remaining 1/6 is 8 feet long.

1/6(y) = 8
1(y)=8x6
y=48

[Dragonlady]

If 1 half is in the ground, that means that only 1 half is left. Now 1/3 of that 1/2 is in the water and 8' is out. so, 2/3 is out of the water and 1/3 is in. 8 is 2/3 of the half. so....the 1/3 in the water is 4'. 4' plus 8' is 12'. 12' plus 12' is 24'.

[Noct]

If 1 half is in the ground, that means that only 1 half is left. Now 1/3 of that 1/2 is in the water and 8' is out. so, 2/3 is out of the water and 1/3 is in. 8 is 2/3 of the half. so....the 1/3 in the water is 4'. 4' plus 8' is 12'. 12' plus 12' is 24'.

Not 1/3 of that 1/2, but 1/3 of the total

[itachi-san]

Why do people keep answering 12 ft.? If 6 ft are IN the ground, then part of that 6 ft. (the 4 ft., 1/3 of 12 ft. part) can't be COVERED by water without the remaining 2 ft. also being covered.

The answer is 48'

[Lost in space]

There is a pole in a lake. One half of the pole is in the ground, another one third is covered by water and eight feet is out of the water. What is the total length of the pole in feet?

And some people wonder why these old topics should come off or be pinned.
Between english + math = entertainment!

finish the pole or Pole the Finnish
Polish off the Polish
Don't take these the wrong way please
or... Polish your self off with furniture cleaner, terrible way to go, but a great finish!

[ash013]

There is a pole in a lake. One half of the pole is in the ground, another one third is covered by water and eight feet is out of the water. What is the total length of the pole in feet?

48 feet
1/2+1/3+x=1
x=1-1/2-1/3
x=1/6,but
x=8feet =>1/6=8=>1=48feet(1 is the whole lenght of the pole)

[redshift]

There is a pole in a lake. One half of the pole is in the ground, another one third is covered by water and eight feet is out of the water. What is the total length of the pole in feet?

Honestly if you can't get this one, you really shouldn't be posting on a logic puzzles board.

Find the lowest common denominator for 1/2 and 1/3. It's 6.

1/2 = 3/6
1/3 = 2/6

3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

With 5/6 of the pole accounted for, the remaining 1/6 is 8 feet long.

1/6(y) = 8
1(y)=8x6
y=48

So if this was a word problem in my elementary algebra textbook I would have answered 48. But it is on a logic puzzle board so one may expect it to be a little more complicated than that.

While English isn't my first language (Bad English is:) I think some are reading too much into the "another". There can't really be another third because we haven't established a first third. Perhaps an effort to reword the problem for clarity. (I hope you don't mind, TEX.)

There is a pole in a lake. One half [(3/6)] of the pole is in the ground[.], a[A]nother [fraction,] one third [(2/6) of the whole pole,] is covered by water and [one sixth is in the air (or at least its not in the ground or water).] e[E]ight feet [of the pole are]is out of the water. What is the total length of the pole in feet?

For those that insist that the part of the pole that is in the ground is also in the water think on this. Nobody said the pole was vertical - or even straight. Imagine a pipe that comes out of the bank, dips down through the "air", and is submerged in the water. It could fulfill the fractions posted for the pole, right? So with this in mind and also realizing this is a puzzle page, I think the answer is 12 ft. The 8' "out of the water" is made up of the 6' in the ground and the 2' in the "air".

3/6 in the ground + 1/6 in the "air" = 4/6 out of the water = 8'.
Total Length of the pole = 8' / (4/6) = 8 * 6 / 4 = 12'

Edited by redshift, 26 March 2008 - 01:18 PM.