[bonanova]

You should get at least ten good tomatoes from each of these plants, the man was told. Sounds good, he said, and the sale was made. He took them home to his garden, where he planted them in five rows of four each. It was a good growing year, weather-wise. But when the man finally counted his crop he found it totaled just 159 tomatoes. But the man was greatly pleased. He thought, I'll surely recommend that place to my friends.

Assuming the man had at least a high-school education, explain his reasoning.

Later ... patience.

Use the spoiler Luke.

[Guest]

The man planted them in star formation.

(edit: my star did not look anything like a star. the dots did not align right. my previous edit was to try to change that. that didn't work, so....sorry. no visual.)

That means he had 12 tomato plants, which would produce at minimum 120 tomatoes. He got 39 more than minimum, which is a reason to reccomend your friends!

Edited March 9, 2008 by Kay

[Guest]

rows were overlapping, meaning there would only be a row of eight (if my math is correct, that would have five rows with four tomatoe plants in it) Thus having 10*8 plants is 80 which is what the seller expected, but the man really got 159. I think that works does it not?

[unreality]

[Guest]

Now, there are 14 trees, so 159 tomatoes means 19 tomatoes extra.

If they are literally in row.....then there might be only one possibility...some plants were dead!!!

[bonanova]

rows were overlapping, meaning there would only be a row of eight (if my math is correct, that would have five rows with four tomatoe plants in it) Thus having 10*8 plants is 80 which is what the seller expected, but the man really got 159. I think that works does it not?

Well, you have the best answer so far, in terms of lowest number of tomato plants.

But the rows are not collinear, they are distinct -- "a row" can't be "five rows."

Everyone is on the right track.

But no one has the lowest possible number of plants, yet...

[Guest]

which means 11 plants and 110 tomatoes...net extra 49.

[Guest]

10 plants..100 tomatoes...59 extra

[Guest]

Planting 10 and expected at least 100 ... but got 59 more.

[bonanova]

storm [the way I envisioned it] and brhan [somewhat creatively but equally validly] have it.

[Guest]

he only had 14 tomatoes planted like this

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 14

so a harvest of 140 was expected.