dmg's Quiz for Monday - it's Maths Again!!

dmg24

I have done this, but would love anybody elses views!

The three princes of Serendip
Went on a little trip.
They could not carry too much weight –
More than 300 pounds made them hesitate.
They planned to the ounce. When they returned to Ceylon
They discovered that their supplies were just about gone
When, to their joy, Prince William found
A pile of coconuts on the ground.
“Each will bring 60 rupees”, said Prince Richard with a grin
As he almost tripped over a lion skin.
“Look out!” cried Prince Robert with glee
As he spied some more lion skins under a tree.
“These are worth even more – 300 rupees each
If we can just carry them down to the beach.”
Each skin weighed fifteen pounds and each coconut, five,
But they carried them all and made it alive.
The boat back to the island was very small,
Fifteen cubic feet capacity, that was all.
Each lion skin took up one cubic foot
While eight coconuts the same space took.
With everything stowed they headed to sea
And on the way calculated what their new wealth might be.
“Eureka!” cried Prince Robert. “Our worth is so great
That there is no other way we could remain in this state.
“Any other skins or nut which we might have brought
Would now have us poorer. And now I know what –
I’ll write to my friend Horace in England, for surely
Only he can appreciate our serendipity.”

Copyright: My Decision Teacher

raa_thistle

*** SPOILER WARNING ***



I make it 12 skins + 3*8 coconuts,

volume = 15 feet^3
weight = 300lbs
money = 5040 rupees.

*** SPOILER WARNING ***

I think thats right.

dmg24

I agree. Did you do it by simultaneous equations? The one thing I really enjoy (sad I know)!

Anybody wish to differ?

Quiz no 2 will be posted later, but in the meantime there is a great little game about in the Moneysavers Arms ...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=439591

raa_thistle

No simultaneous equations I'm afraid, just good old pen and paper.

I did it by working out what 0-15 skins weighs and priced, then 0-15 groups of coconuts, and then looked for the weights closest to 300lbs.

Thats the stupid way to do it, sim eqns sounds like a more useful way in real life™

dmg24

I had to use simultaneous equations, just because it is the one thing I can show off on (am feeling a bit blonde in all other areas at the mo).

Have got another quiz tomorrow ... and this one I can't work out! x

lellie

5C + 15S = 300
1/8C + 1S = 15

=>

C + 3S = 60
C + 8S = 120

=> 5S = 60 => S = 12 and C = 24

12 x 300 + 24 x 60 = 5040 rupees.

EDIT: tr3mor again, not Lellie

dmg24

tr3mor you're too late ... that was yesterdays!!!

Can't believe you're using the girlfriends account ... did you meet on here?! x