Word Problem Wednesday: Neverland

By Mathnasium | June 10, 2020

Solutions

Great work on today’s word problem! Are you ready to check your answer? Look below to see if your solution matches ours.

Lower Elementary:
Answer: Yes
Solution: There are 12 months in a year, so John must be 10 years old because 12 months 10 times is 120 months. Since 10 years is older than Michael’s 3 years and younger than Wendy’s 12 years, that means John could be 120 months old.

Upper Elementary:
Answer: 184 miles
Solution: From 8:03 pm to 7:33 am is 11 ½ hours. So, the fairy travels a total distance of 16 × 11½ = 16 × 11 + 16 × ½ = 176 + 8 = 184 miles.

Middle School:
Answer: 96.875%
Solution: After Wendy reads, 50% of the pages are left to read. After Tootles, 50% × 50% = 25% are left. After Nibs, 50% × 25% = 12.5% are left. After Slightly, 50% × 12.5% = 6.25% are left. After Curly, 50% × 6.25% = 3.125% are left. So, by the time it’s the twins’ turn to read, 3.125% of the pages are left, which means 100% – 3.125% = 96.875% of the story has been read.

Algebra and Up:
Answer: No
Solution: The crocodile swims 4 – 2 = 2 meters per second faster than the swimmer. So, the crocodile gets 2 meters closer to the swimmer each second. It takes the swimmer 20 meters ÷ 2 meters per second = 10 seconds to reach the boat. In that time, the crocodile gets 10 seconds × 2 meters per second = 20 meters closer to the swimmer. Since they were 30 meters apart to begin with, the crocodile does not catch the swimmer.