# Deceptively easy math word problems for high school kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563 "2012-02-02T19:31:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/1 "2012-02-02T19:31:57Z")
Anyone know any tricky word problems that a high school kid could be easily fooled by? I’m not looking for difficult math, but rather problems where the wording misleads the student. For example, this one gets a surprising number of high school kids: If it takes 10 minutes to cut a board into 2 pieces, how long does it take to cut it into 3 pieces? For some reason, a lot of high school kids set up a proportion and figure it takes 5 minutes per piece, so they arrive at 15 minutes as an answer. Does anyone have any similar kind of trick problems of that nature? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/2 "2012-02-02T19:51:44Z")
If you have one bucket that holds 2 gallons, and another bucket that holds 5 gallons, how many buckets do you have? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/3 "2012-02-02T21:39:25Z")
A farmer has ten cows. All but seven of them die. How many cows are left? Three horses were galloping at 27 miles per hour. What was the speed of one horse? A dog breeder owns 3 adult male dogs, 5 adult females (2 of which are pregnant), and 13 puppies (6 of which are male). If a dog is selected at random, what is the probability that it is pregnant and male? If a bucket of 60 degree water is added to a bucket of 60 degree water, how hot is the resulting water? You’re driving a bus with 10 passengers. At one stop, 2 people get off and 4 people get on. At the next stop, one person gets off and 5 get on. At the next stop, half of the passengers get off and no one gets on. How old is the bus driver? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/4 "2012-02-02T22:11:31Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If you have one bucket that holds 2 gallons, and another bucket that holds 5 gallons, how many buckets do you have? That is probably the greatest Word Problem ever, and thank you for reminding me of it. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/5 "2012-02-02T22:13:43Z")
[Look Around You - Maths](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDAQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLz8KPw-u1U0&ei=YworT5viK4662gWPkoWSDw&usg=AFQjCNGX1a8OHkDV368U0bhVHlA7FRzpaw&sig2=84MhE1ViJVMcUGsphujzew) is a great educational video that has 3 sample problems worked in. It’s only about 10 minutes long and I believe that all the problems they give are “tricky” but don’t require advanced mathematics. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/6 "2012-02-02T22:20:40Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > That is probably the greatest Word Problem ever, and thank you for reminding me of it. Is there a less obvious answer I’m not seeing? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/7 "2012-02-02T22:22:06Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > A farmer has ten cows. All but seven of them die. How many cows are left? Ten. Just because the cow is dead doesn’t mean it stops being a cow. > [@](#): > > Three horses were galloping at 27 miles per hour. What was the speed of one horse? One horsepower. > [@](#): > > You’re driving a bus with 10 passengers. At one stop, 2 people get off and 4 people get on. At the next stop, one person gets off and 5 get on. At the next stop, half of the passengers get off and no one gets on. How old is the bus driver? 16 or older. These are easy. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/8 "2012-02-03T01:03:14Z")
How about these? [http://trick-questions.com/content/you-just-came-home-you-walk-your-room-and-find-ten-people-one-corner-your-room-ten-people-ot](http://trick-questions.com/content/you-just-came-home-you-walk-your-room-and-find-ten-people-one-corner-your-room-ten-people-ot) [http://trick-questions.com/Math](http://trick-questions.com/Math) ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/9 "2012-02-03T01:13:51Z")
A bottle of wine costs $10.00. The bottle costs $9.00 more than the wine. Q: How much does the bottle cost? Most people will instinctively say $1.00 but the correct answer is $0.50. If the wine is $9.00 more than the wine, the wine is $9.50 and the bottle $0.50. Gets 'em every time. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/10 "2012-02-03T02:18:18Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Is there a less obvious answer I’m not seeing? Only if you didn’t say 2 buckets. > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > . . . One horsepower. . . Yes, I know it’s a joke, but I have to say it. Horsepower is a unit of power (rate at which power is transferred or rate at which work is done (work being the application of force over a distance)), not speed. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/11 "2012-02-03T02:22:11Z")
An old SDMB favorite… Your new neighbor has two children. At least one of them is a girl. What are the odds the other one is a girl? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/12 "2012-02-03T02:50:12Z")
> [@batsto](#): > > If it takes 10 minutes to cut a board into 2 pieces, how long does it take to cut it into 3 pieces? > > For some reason, a lot of high school kids set up a proportion and figure it takes 5 minutes per piece, so they arrive at 15 minutes as an answer. I don’t think that question has a single right answer at the level of detail. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/13 "2012-02-03T02:52:12Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > An old SDMB favorite… > > Your new neighbor has two children. At least one of them is a girl. What are the odds the other one is a girl? 2/3, of course I wouldn’t say this is a problem where the wording is misleading. It’s actually a counter-intuitive answer if you’re completely unfamiliar with statistics. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/14 "2012-02-03T03:08:23Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > 2/3, of course > > I wouldn’t say this is a problem where the wording is misleading. It’s actually a counter-intuitive answer if you’re completely unfamiliar with statistics. You mean, of course, 1/3… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/15 "2012-02-03T03:11:10Z")
nvmind ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/16 "2012-02-03T03:12:50Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > You mean, of course, 1/3… Yes, indeed. As I was saying… :o ETA: Maybe I’ve heard the problem as “What are the odds the other one is a boy”, which would explain where I got that from. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/17 "2012-02-03T03:22:50Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > That is probably the greatest Word Problem ever, and thank you for reminding me of it. OK, I guess I’m not getting this one. It’s two, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/18 "2012-02-03T03:27:12Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > The bottle costs $9.00 more than the wine. I presume you mean the wine costs $9.00 more than the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/19 "2012-02-03T03:29:17Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Is there a less obvious answer I’m not seeing? Nope. It’s two. It’s just deceptively easy. People tend to overthink things, especially when doing tests. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563/20 "2012-02-03T03:29:52Z")
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