Gets Them to the Game On Time?

Four football players for the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf are on the Maine coast. They realize that the big game starts in 17 minutes. The Baxter school is on an island, and the players must row across the water to get to the game. They have a small boat and one flashlight. A maximum of two people can be in the boat at any one time. Each person takes a different amount of time to row across the water:

• Player A takes 1 minute;
• Player B takes 2 minutes;
• Player C takes 5 minutes; and
• Player D takes 10 minutes.

The people in the boat must have the flashlight with them in order to see. Two persons crossing in the boat together row at the rate of the slower player. For example, if player B and D cross in the boat together, it will take them 10 minutes. If B then takes the flashlight back alone, that is another 2 minutes for a total of 12 minutes.

The question is: Can all of the players make it to the game in time? If so, how?

For questions or comments, contact Laura, lblackburn@niu.edu, or Claudia, pagliaro+@pitt.edu, through E-mail.

Welcome to the first Wizard's Muse of the school year. Claudia and Laura, the writers of the Muse, began working when they were both students at Gallaudet University, and they are excited to see how young math wizards solve the puzzles this year. Laura is working on a website, too, and we will let you know the address soon.

The first students who send in the correct answer will:

• Get their names published in World Around You.
• Win a Math Wizard certificate.
• Win a free subscription to World Around You.

General comments may be sent to: Ken.Kurlychek@gallaudet.edu
Last modified November 10, 1998
Copyright © 1998, All Rights Reserved
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center

Gallaudet University 800 Florida Ave. NE Washington, DC 20002-3695