The think-tank Reform has just wired us a copy of their maths challenge – a set of 10 questions designed not only to test the grey-matter, but also to promote a rigorous maths curriculum. The challenge will be distributed at the party conferences – to see how the politicos fare – but we’ve reproduced it below for the benefit of CoffeeHousers. For information on how to have your answers checked, click here. Do let us know how you get on…
Questions
Note: These problems are designed to be tackled without a calculator
1.(a) 15 x 9 = ?;
(b) (2 1/2 + 5/3 ) ÷ 2 1/2 = ?
2.When you count “1, 2, 3, …” out loud, what is the first number you come to that contains an “a”?
3.What is the angle between the hands of Big Ben at 9.15?
4. Fresh apricots have a moisture content of 80%. When left in the sun to dry they lose 75% of their moisture content. What is the moisture content of dried apricots?
5. 4! is a short way of writing “4 x 3 x 2 x 1”. So 4! hours is the same as 1day; and 5! minutes is the same as 2 hours. How many weeks is the same as 10! seconds?
6. (a) How many presents did I receive altogether on “The Twelfth Day of Christmas”? (The “partridge in a pear tree” counts as one present.)
(b) How many presents did I receive altogether during all twelve days of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”?
7.I have two tortoises called David and Cameron. David is now twice as old as Cameron was when David was as old as Cameron is now. When Cameron is as old as David is now, the sum of their ages will be 63. How old are David and Cameron now?
8.Nick and Gordon each receive presents shaped like cuboids (or “boxes”). Each is tied with three loops of string – one in each of the three possible directions. Nick’s package has loops of lengths 40cm, 60cm, 60cm, while Gordon’s package has loops of lengths 40cm, 60cm, 80cm. Decide whose package has the larger volume, and find the volumes of the two packages.
9. David and Gordon take 2 hours to complete a job working together. Gordon and Nick take 3 hours to complete the job. Nick and David take 4 hours for the same job. How long would all three of them take to finish the job working together?
10. If I walk up the up-escalator taking one step per second, I make 20 steps before arriving at the top. If I take two steps per second, I take 32 steps before reaching the top. How long would it take to get to the top standing still?
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