Monday Math Problems: The Answer to “Abdul’s Zucchini”
April 23, 2010
Every Monday, I’ll be posting a math problem on this site; every Friday, I’ll post the answer to that week’s problem. Here is Monday’s problem again — click “Read More” for the explanation, and then come back Monday for a new quantitative challenge!
This Week’s Math Problem:
Abdul’s garden is in the shape of a regular hexagon with integer side lengths (as measured in feet), and its area is greater than 200 square feet. If Abdul joins three vertices of the garden to rope off an area (CORRECTION: I really should have said “triangle” instead of “area”) in which to grow zucchini, and the cost of fertilizing garden space is 20¢ per square foot rounded up to the nearest square foot, what is the minimum amount of money Abdul would save by choosing to fertilize only the zucchini area and not the entire garden?
Before I get into this, though, I’d like to say that next week’s math problem will be MUCH easier, for several reasons. One is that my purpose in posting math problems in the first place was more to interest those of general nerdy inclinations in humorous situations that could be made more sense of through math. However, it also sort of seemed natural for me to escalate the problems as the weeks went by, just because, since the Enlightenment, we pretty much just like to push things forward for their own sake (thanks, Voltaire!) So, I think I shall resist that impulse in the future. For instance, I was pretty happy with The One About Being a Player.
Also, having to post lots of square-root signs and ^ symbols in the comments of a blog makes geometry problems a bit impractical for this platform. Also, when people write things like, “I’d explain how to derive this formula from first principles, but neither the readership nor the editorship of this blog seems to be interested in proof methodology,” I know I’ve strayed from my original mission.
For instance, once my mom called me, asking how to find the circumference of a circle. She had a real-life reason! She wanted to buy lace to trim a round tablecloth. Working off some vague high school memories, she had already measured the diameter of the tablecloth when she called. How cool was that? Um, I thought it was awesome.
And in answer to a question posed, my idea of a good solution is one that can be understood as readily and quickly as possible by as regular a person (math-wise) as possible, and the knowledge of which would allow such a person to confidently solve a similar problem in the future. I doubt that that goal will be achieved on this humdinger of a problem, but that’s the math ideal on jenniferdziura.com. That’s what you get from a GMAT instructor.
So, I’ll run through this one, but next week, look forward to being able to do the problem on your fingers.
Posted by jen | Categories: Monday Math Problems | Leave a Comment | | 
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Spelling Word of the Day: tiny women and air fairies
April 22, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: ghosts of ancient Greece
April 21, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: Whee, I’m a land connector!
April 20, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Monday Math Problems: Abdul’s Zucchini
April 19, 2010
Every Monday, I’ll be posting a math problem on this site; every Friday, I’ll post the answer to that week’s problem. Give this one a shot and post your solution in the comments!
This Week’s Math Problem:
Abdul’s garden is in the shape of a regular hexagon with integer side lengths (as measured in feet), and its area is greater than 200 square feet. If Abdul joins three vertices of the garden to rope off an area in which to grow zucchini, and the cost of fertilizing garden space is 20¢ per square foot rounded up to the nearest square foot, what is the minimum amount of money Abdul would save by choosing to fertilize only the zucchini area and not the entire garden?
Posted by jen | Categories: Monday Math Problems | 16 Comments | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: high school chemistry time
April 19, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: Olivia Newton-John wants us to get physical
April 18, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: if you mock others with this word, you are really mocking yourself
April 17, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: I need you to have more of this element
April 16, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | 2 Comments | | Email This Post
I’m on WSJ.com in a clip I shot for the Oprah Winfrey Network
April 15, 2010
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Today on TheGloss: Inventions for Kickass Women
April 15, 2010
Here is today’s NerdGlam column, Inventions for Kickass Women!
I’m also writing a workplace column for TheGloss now. Here’s my author page, in case you’d like to see what else I’ve been up to.
Posted by jen | Categories: Jen says | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Punctuation in Virginia Beach
April 15, 2010
Yes, go see the movie “Kick A¢$”! (For those unaware, Virginia Beach has a “no swearing” campaign; this town is not so much “for lovers”).
Speak no evil!
Posted by jen | Categories: Virginia, grammar | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Farm Fresh Founding Fathers
April 15, 2010
If you have been following me on Twitter and saw this…
…here’s a matching photo:
Posted by jen | Categories: Virginia | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
Monday Math Problems
April 15, 2010
By the way, this week’s math problem just never happened due to my punctuation show in Albany and then my trip to Virginia. Math problems will return next week!
Posted by jen | Categories: Jen says | 2 Comments | | Email This Post
Spelling Word of the Day: card games for the aged, part deux
April 15, 2010
Every day of 2010, I’ll be posting a spelling word here for those who would like some spelling bee practice. Photo at right is from the Williamsburg Spelling Bee.
Start the audio file to hear the word, definition, and etymology. Once you’ve spelled the word for yourself, click “Read More” to see the answer.
Posted by jen | Categories: spelling word of the day | Leave a Comment | | Email This Post
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