April 2013
Problem of the Month

Whale of a Tail

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

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher