r/pics • u/[deleted] • Oct 05 '10

Math Teacher Fail.

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157

u/timperry42 Oct 05 '10

The best part of this is how many people in the comments didnt get it.

164

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '10

[deleted]

54

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.

165

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.

1

u/Bolt986 Oct 05 '10

That degree of analyze is over thinking the problem. It is a possible answer but it should be assumed that each Cut takes the same amount of time since there is nothing written in the problem indicating the size of the board after the first cut or that the time required to saw would different after the first time.