Lower Elementary
Question: Mark did a class survey to find out favorite ice cream flavors. Half of the class liked vanilla, 1/4 of the class liked chocolate and the other 6 people liked strawberry. How many people were in Mark’s class?
Answer: 24 people
Note: Assume Mark is counted in one of the groups.
Upper Elementary
Question: Rachel and Ryan are playing a game while walking across the playground. Every time they take 3 steps forward they have to take 1 step back. If it usually takes 21 steps to get across the playground, what is the minimum number of steps it will take them to walk across the playground?
Answer: 39 steps
Note that all steps are uniform.
Middle School
Question: Working at the same rate, together Todd and Erica can complete a job in 12 hours. If Brian and Bill join them and each person works at the same rate how long will it take them to finish the job?
Answer: 6 hours
Note: If Todd and Erica work at the same rate and can get the job done in 12 hours that means that it takes one person 24 hours to do the job. Since everyone works at the same rate each person can do 1/4 of the job. 24 x 1/4 = 6 hours.
Algebra and Up
Question: A van traveling at 34 miles per hour passes a car traveling 30 miles per hour. After 10 seconds how far ahead of the car is the van?
Answer: 58.7 feet
Note. After 10 seconds the van has moved 498.7 feet and the car has moved 440 feet. 498.7 – 440 = 58.7
