SCORP Corporation      مؤسسة سكورب

Serving the Labs.

Egyptian Wheelbarrow Enigma

Suppose you were a slave in ancient Egypt using a primitive wheelbarrow to move rocks to build the Pharoah's pyramids. If you survive the hard work for a year, you will be set free. Would your work be more strenuous if you pushed the wheelbarrow or pulled it? Why? (Assume that you are moving the wheelbarrow along a straight path on the ground.)

Solution

Relatively Speaking

Derwitt Duddly had an assignment to draw a picture of his family. “They won't all fit on this piece of paper,” he wailed loudly in class.

“What exactly is your problem, young man?” enquired his teacher, Ms. Im Patient.

My family has 1 brother, 2 sisters, 2 sons, 2 daughters, 1 grandmother, 1 grandfather, 2 fathers, 2 mothers, 4 children, 3 grandchildren , 1 father-in-law, 1 mother-in-law, and 1 daughter-in-law, and they won't all fit on the paper.

“I'm sure you can manage.” stated his teacher, emphatically.

Can you help Derwitt out? What is the smallest possible number of people in his family?

Solution

Four + Five = Ten

Do you remember the story of Rumplestiltskin? He knew how to turn straw into gold. Well there was another creature in the castle that evening, Bumblestiltskin who failed at the task miserably so was sent away by the princess and banished from the kingdom. “Don't return until you can add 4 straws plus 5 straws to get 10,” were her parting words.

Help Bumblestiltskin out and show him how to add 4 straws plus 5 straws to get 10. You can not break, bend, or otherwise mutilate the straws.

And a big thanks to Dan Jurgensmeyer who sent in the puzzle idea and gave the puzzle-writers a break this week.

Solution

Alien Sphere 

You are walking out one night, when you see a strange green glow. Suddenly a spaceship lands, and a strange creature approaches you. She asks, "Can you answer my questions to show that earthlings are smart enough to join our intergalatic federation?"

1. What is the surface area of a sphere that has a ten-foot radius?

2. What is the volume of a sphere that has a ten-foot radius?

And for the ultimate challenge, if you solve this final question, she'll take you on a tour of the universe:

3. The surface area and volume of her spaceship are both four-digit integers times pi, expressed in units of feet. Assume the ship contains only air, so its volume is (4/3)pi r³. What is the radius r of her spherical spaceship.?

Solution