Math Madness Challenges

Directions: The following are some of the Math Madness Challenges offered in
class. It is my hope that kids will learn math concepts and develop the math skills
necessary to be true mathematicians. These skills include the ability to reason and
work through challenges with perseverance and confidence. These are the true
skills of mathematicians. Please review the rubric in the math section of the
website. Enjoy!

#1 Interference
Two artificial satellites are in orbits that pass directly over your school. When they
are both directly over your school, they cause interference with your school's
telecommunications reception. One satellite makes one revolution around the
Earth every 20 hrs, and the other makes one revolution around the Earth every 30
hrs. At 8:00 a.m. on December 3rd, they were both directly over your school.
When (date and time) should you expect the next problem with your school's
telecommunication system. Remember to fully explain your reasoning. Identify
math concepts when appropriate. See rubric for details.

#2 The Locker Problem

There are 100 closed lockers and 100 students. The first student goes through and
opens all the lockers. The second student goes through and closes every other
locker. The third person changes every 3rd locker. (If it is open, he closes it. If it is
closed, he opens it.) The fourth person changes every 4th locker and so on. Which
lockers would be open after the 100th student goes through? Why are those
lockers open?

#3 Use Four 3's the Make 0-10

Well, just like mentioned above, use four 3's (and only four 3's to create) each
number from zero through ten. You may use any of the four operations and even
exponents. Just make sure that you are using the order of operations properly.

#4 Scale Problem (Compliments of Kevin G. and his grandfather)

You have 12 coins that all look the same. One is slightly heavier or lighter than the
others. You have a balance scale that you may use 3 times. Find the "odd coin.
Explain how you solved it. You may want to number the coins or use letters to
destinguish the coins in your explanation.
#5 Gauss Problem
Carl Gauss is a famous mathematician who was suppossedly annoyed his teacher
by asking too many questions. To get rid of Gauss for a few days, his teacher
supposedly asked him to add all the numbers from one to one hundred. Instead
of taking him days, six-year-old Gauss came back in minutes with the answer.
How might he have done it? There is more than just one way (although a couple
of the ways are similar).

#6 Missing Multiplication
In the following problem, the value of "b," "c," "d," and "e" are missing digits
rather than variables as usual that are multiplied. Find the missing digits, (4b)(56)
= 2de2. The kids know how this was written on the board with missing boxes.

#7 Matchstick Problem
Jonathan created the following pattern from matchsticks.

How many matchsticks are used to create the 5th element in the series? the 10th
element? the nth element? (Hint: For the nth element, create an equation.)

#8 Farmer Bob's Problem

Farmer Bob raises chickens and pigs. He woke up one morning and counted 42
heads and 132 feet. How many chickens and pigs does he have?

#9 Sister Problem
Shirley is 21 years older than Laura. In six years, Shirley will be twice as old as
Laura. How old are they now?
#10 Number Pyramid

The following "Number Pyramid" was found in an ancient Eygptian

pyramid. Number Pyramid Diagram. Figure out the 5th item in the 13th
row. Make sure to explain how you figured it out.

#11 Penny Problem

A long lost uncle decides to help you pay for college. He gives you a
choice. Either he will give you a penny that will double in value every day in
February or he will give you $1,000,000. Which do you choose? Why? What is
the difference between the two options? What if the deal was made in
September instead?

#12 Clock Problem

Use two straight lines to divide up a clock into three sections so that the sums of
the numbers in each section are equal. Please draw the clock and lines and
explain your reasoning.
#13 Ten Consecutive Numbers
Ten consecutive numbers each over a billion are each raised to the 5th power and
then added together. What's the one's digit?

#14 Six-foot Tall Man

A six-foot tall man walks around the center of the earth. How much farther does
his head travel than his feet?

#15 The Brothers Next Door

Next door to me live four brothers of different heights. Their average height is 74
inches, and the difference in heights amongst the first three tallest men is 2
inches. The difference in height between the third and fourth tallest man is 6
inches. How tall is each brother?

#16 A Matter of Time

Fifty minutes ago, it was four times as many minutes past three o'clock as it now
to six o'clock. What time is it now?