Determine the length of a whale if you know the following facts:

  1. The HEAD is 6 feet long.
  2. The TAIL is equal to the HEAD plus 1/2 the BODY.
  3. The BODY is 1/2 the length.

You must use ALGEBRA to solve this puzzle.   Your answer must include "Let x = ..."





Solution to the Problem:

The whale is 48 feet long.

Let x = length of the whale.   Then:
  1. The HEAD = 6 feet long.
  2. The TAIL = 6 + 1/2 (1/2 x).
  3. The BODY = 1/2 x.

So, x = (6) + (1/2 x) + (6 + 1/4 x)
Therefore, x = 48 feet.


Correctly solved by:

1. James Alarie Flint, Michigan
2. Chad Fore Gate City, Virginia
3. Bijan Banihashemi Tehran, Iran
4. Hannah Stoddard Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Kalvin Hereford Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming