Posted on 03/10/2015 5:48:37 PM PDT by MNDude
My daughter has this problem-solving question for her homework. I'm feeling kind of dumb on this one. What do you think is the correct answer?
Mrs. Feltner wants to put a border on a baby blanket. The area of the blanket is 12 square units. Which shows how many units of materials she needs for the border?
A 12 units B 14 units C 15 units D 21 units
Yes. B, C, and D could all be correct. Any answer over two times the square root of 12 could be correct. For example, 96.5 would be correct if the blanket were 48 units long and 0.25 units wide. The only answer among those given where the sides are whole numbers is 14.
Nice catch! I’m thinking however that the assignment taken context is helping her learn to find and use whole number factors.
I disagree with those who are ripping the teacher or school system here. But I can see her answering 14 and then provide the logic for 15. Then demand an extra credit point.
Would if L X W = 12 sq. units, but alas, it doesn’t in regular math; however, I haven’t the time or patience to try it in “new math” or “common core math” which might or might not meet their exacting “feels like” standards.
since your material has to be measure in L-squared your answer is incorrect.
Doesn’t say the sides have to be integers, just that the area is 12.
Even better catch!
What in the world is “L-squared?” It says nothing about “L-squared.” It says square units. Square units just means square inches or square centimeters, or square parsecs. Nothing more.
Right. Thanks.
sq. units doesn’t rule out non-integer lengths. Not in the least.
Doesn’t say it’s a square quilt.
Ok. I can buy that, but I can’t seem to find two non-integers where L*W equals 12 and 2L + 2W equals any of the other choices
The area of the boarder is the boarder width times the perimeter plus four times the width of the boarder squared.
A=pb+4b^2
the problem only gives the area of the object to which the boarder is attached. The perimeter can be any value from four times the square root of three times pi up to infinity. Therefore A can be your favorite number. Mine happens to be e=2.718281828459045.
This is for second grade
Then quit listening to people trying to make it complex.
“sq. units doesn’t (sic) rule out non-integer lengths. Not in the least.”
They don’t in all cases, but they do in this problem because it specifically states 12 sq. units.
Dude, admit it. You KNEW this was going to happen!
I don’t know - depends on the size of the units I guess - and actually fourteen wouldn’t be the right answer, since you’d have to add an addition four units to cover the corners - you’d have to have non-integer units to have any of the answers given be correct.....
E. Portugal
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