Problems of the Week - October 18 to October 24

Rewards for Problems of the week:

5 stars for the correct answer at your level; 10 stars for the next level; 20 stars for 2+ levels up.

 Lower Elementary:

Question: Pine processionary caterpillars follow each other in perfect single-file lines. Each caterpillar is 2 centimeters long. How many caterpillars can make a meter-long procession?

Upper Elementary: 

Question: You can find the temperature in Fahrenheit by counting the number of times a cricket chirps in 15 seconds and adding 38. For example, if a cricket chirps 30 times in 15 seconds, it’s 68°F outside. If a cricket chirps 56 times per minute, what is the temperature?

Middle School:

Question: One firefly blinks its light once every 8 seconds. Another firefly blinks its light every 9 seconds. If both fireflies blink at the same time, how long will it be before they synchronize blinks again?

Algebra and Up:

Question: Believe it or not, ants use math to get food efficiently. Instead of following the shortest path to food, ants take the path that will take the least time. Look at the diagram below. The shortest route from the ant to the cookie is two inches. Because of the terrain, the ant can get to the cookie faster if it turns 45° to the left and then 135° to the right. Exactly how much greater is the distance of the path that takes less time?

Challenge problem to take home. 5 stars for the correct answer. 

These two scales are balanced. Which shape is the heaviest?