115 replies to this topic

[ash013]

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'.

I relly don't understand how something so simple become great matter.Your math is terrible.Till the point,that 2/3 are out of the water and 1/3 is in is o'k,after that is total mess."8 is 2/3 of the half. so...."???! 8 is 2/3 -1/2=1/6 or 1/2-1/3=1/6=>the whole lenght is 8*6=48feet.This puzzle is for 2th graders,that's why I'm so suprise that you mess it up totaly.For me the simpliest and fastest way is to find those 8 feet what part are from the whole lenght.It's pretty simple:
1-1/2-1/3=1/6,than
6*8=48 feet.
So simple.

Edited by ash013, 26 March 2008 - 01:55 PM.

[ash013]

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.

I'm sorry,but if the length is 12 feet and 1/2 is on the ground,1/3 in the water and 8 feet out of the water,even without to calculate is obvious that 8 feet are less than 1/2.So,the lenght is 12 feet=> 1/2 is 6 feet,but there are 8 feet which are less then1/2 of the whole lenght.How this could be correct?IT IS NOT.WHAT''S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE,WAKE UP,DRINK SOME COFFEE,IF IS NEEDED AND START THINKING.I enjoy this forum,because there are smart people.Please,don't disappoint me.

Edited by ash013, 26 March 2008 - 02:13 PM.

[ash013]

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'

Actually you are wrong,that the lenght is only 12'.I didn;t think the way you do,bot I'm exepting it,because is possible and you can't ignore the other solution.That way the answers shoud be 12' and 48'.

Edited by ash013, 26 March 2008 - 02:51 PM.

[redshift]

Actually you are wrong,that the lenght is 12'I don't think,that the puzzle should be understand this way,because this way has infinity number of solutions-k*12,where k is any even number-2,4,6,...and ect.

Egad man, use some whitespace! (and mebbe the spellchecker ("Pot? This is the Kettle. You're black!"))

I appreciate that you find exception to my math. You're asserting that there are an infinite number of solutions to the problem as I've reworded it. You're asserting that the length of the pole is k*12 for any even [natural] number.

I think I'm right and I think my explanation is suitably supported by my math/logic/linguistics. I see no explanation for why you think k*12 (k=2, 4, 6,...) is a solution for the problem?

[Lost in space]

Normally speaking out of the water or even sticking out of the water would be in the air or the part of the pole that is neither in ground or water. I think puzzles like this have wording that is meant to be deceiving. You can definately say that 8 ft is not in water though - may help or cause argument!

Anyway the answer is 5.5 yards otherwise it is not a pole.

[Kay]

Okay, i'm really not sure how this became so hard.

1/2 = 3/6
1/3 = 2/6
3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

8ft of the pole = 1/6 of its total length.

8 x 6 = 48ft.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems like simple gradeschool math.

[Lost in space]

Okay, i'm really not sure how this became so hard.

1/2 = 3/6
1/3 = 2/6
3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

8ft of the pole = 1/6 of its total length.

8 x 6 = 48ft.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems like simple gradeschool math.

math may be the answer but a pole is 5.5 yards otherwise it is not a pole! it's a unit of measure too. The other info was just to confuse - maybe/maybe not.

[Kay]

math may be the answer but a pole is 5.5 yards otherwise it is not a pole! it's a unit of measure too. The other info was just to confuse - maybe/maybe not.

1 a: a long slender usually cylindrical object (as a length of wood)
b: a shaft which extends from the front axle of a wagon between wheelhorses and by which the wagon is drawn : tongue c: a long staff of wood, metal, or fiberglass used in the pole vault
2: a varying unit of length; especially : one equal to a rod (161⁄2 feet or about 5 meters)
3: a tree with a female chest appendage-high diameter of from 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 centimeters)
4: the inside front row position on the starting line for a race

Your definition of a pole is in there as well, but 1 generally is the more used term. When i'm with my friends and i see a long stick, i don't take out my ruler and make sure it's 5.5 yards before saying 'hey, what's that pole doing there?'

not to be mean, just making a fair argument.

[Lost in space]

Your definition of a pole is in there as well, but 1 generally is the more used term. When i'm with my friends and i see a long stick, i don't take out my ruler and make sure it's 5.5 yards before saying 'hey, what's that pole doing there?'

Well - TEX was delivering MY poles to the other side of the lake and one fell off
So I am sure it's 5.5yards
However it has shrunk in the air and grown where it aquired water, after all this time - who knows what the exact lenght is now!
It's no use to my client now - you can have it - let me know it's actual size at recovery. It's a lignocelulsic hygroscopic material and with your information and my records of it's moisture content when bellow fibre satuaration point (FSP) at the time of shipment and measure at CIF (cost insurance freight), I'll use it to conclude some theories.

Venice was built on poles/piling as was the northern version - Amsterdam. - that's why the oldest buildings are all curvy and swuuurvy (from andold film)

[exotic]

Let's stop arguing and let TEX provide us the right solution.
All three answers :48", 24" and 12 could be correct depending on how you interpret this puzzle.

If the 1/3 submerged in water, is 1/3 of the whole pole then 48" is the right answer as most of you have posted here.

If the 1/3 submerged in water, is 1/3 of the remaining half then 24" is the right answer.

Also, if the part covered in ground represents the remaining 8" part not in water (air + ground), then 12" is the right answer