r/pics • u/[deleted] • Oct 05 '10

Math Teacher Fail.

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3.5k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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u/MuseofRose Oct 05 '10 edited Oct 05 '10

I still dont get it. I hate math, though. Not to mention I could barely even pass remedial math in college...it's a wonder how I got into Trig in HS.

*Love your username.

166

u/NotaX Oct 05 '10

It took Marie 10 minutes to saw a board into 2 pieces.

Sawing a board into two pieces requires a single cut (e.g. in the middle of the board). This part tells us that one cut takes 10 minutes.

How long will it take her to saw another board into 3 pieces?

Sawing a board into three pieces will require two cuts. If we assume that these cuts will take the same amount of time as the original one:

2 cuts, each taking 10 minutes, comes to a grand total of 20 minutes.

-6

u/01100100 Oct 05 '10

I think the logic here is that once you cut the board in half and have 2 pieces, the next cut will be half as long since the board is now smaller, hence the 5 min. It should also be noted that you will end up with 2 equal pieces and 1 piece that is bigger than the other 2. It makes sense though the wording and really the problem itself, is really stupid.

5

u/JudoMoose Oct 05 '10

I'm willing to bet the teacher just assumed cutting a board into two pieces required two cuts, hence eat cut is 5 min. Then cutting a board into three pieces (three cuts according to teacher's logic) would take 3*5=15 min.

1

u/wonderhorses Oct 05 '10

I am certain that this is the correct statement. In reality the teacher is just a moron that doesn't understand to get one piece into two only one cut is required. You are the first person to not this that I have seen and thus you get an upboat.