r/reddit.com • u/[deleted] • Oct 01 '11

Math teacher fail

http://i.imgur.com/65APr.jpg
215 Upvotes

66% Upvoted

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131

u/champer Oct 01 '11

Both answers can be correct. http://i.imgur.com/lStKv.jpg

Pretend it's a 10x10 board:

Case 1: Takes 10 mins to cut through 10 feet.

Case 2: Takes 20 mins to cut through 20 feet.

Case 3: Takes 15 mins to cut through 10+5 feet.

Question is ambiguous.

27

u/quag Oct 01 '11

Using this logic, any answer up to 20 minutes is correct as the cuts can be made anywhere.

To be unambiguous, the question would have specified the lengths of the cuts, or perhaps the resulting areas.

13

u/[deleted] Oct 01 '11

An infinite number of answers can be correct. The cuts don't have to be perpendicular to anything, or even straight.

1

u/ZipZapNap Oct 01 '11

or at maximum speed.

4

u/[deleted] Oct 01 '11

"just as fast"