even more cats

[low_delta]

This is a 5th grade math problem.

There are 7 girls in a bus
Each girl has 7 backpacks
In each backpack, there are 7 big cats
For every big cat there are 7 little cats

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

Comments

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

406?

7 (backpacks) x 7 (cats) =49 + (7 backpacks x 7 little cats)= 98 x 4 (legs) = 392 + 14 (7 girls x 2)=406

[ranunculus.livejournal.com]

Errr, plus two if the bus is moving, for the bus driver.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Ah! Maybe that's the trick part of the question. I knew there was a trick!

[seamusd.livejournal.com]

406, not counting the bus driver, who wasn't mentioned in the problem.

[eideteker.livejournal.com]

7 backpacks? Do they have seven backs to accomodate each? And, if so, do they have seven torsos? Because then each torso might have its own legs. And how many of the cats are girls? Because then the premise that there are seven girls on the bus constrains the actual total number of cats.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Maybe the girls stole the backpacks. From boys.

[vocalista001.livejournal.com]

Not enough information....they didn't say how many Polly Pockets were in each backpack.

[raven-nest.livejournal.com]

Do we have to count the flea legs on all of those cats?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

You don't have to count anything. You just have to do that math. It would probably take you years, if you were actually going to count them all.

[vwip.livejournal.com]

10990, assuming 2 legs for each girl, and 4 legs for each cat.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

10 points! Assuming you actually figured it out yourself, rather than Googling it. ;-)

[vwip.livejournal.com]

I did use a calculator, but I figured out which buttons to press myself.

7 x 2 M+
7 x 7 x 7 x 4 M+
7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 4 M+
MR

[zaecus.livejournal.com]

14
The only objects actually identified as being "in a bus" are 7 girls. As it cannot be assumed that each girl brought all seven of her backpacks with her, the answer, provisional to a determination that all of the girls have no more than or less than two legs, is 14.

[eideteker.livejournal.com]

So wait, now these girls are negligently shoving 7 cats each into multiple backpacks, and then just leaving them at home? I think we're going to need to call the police on this one.

xkcd

[mummm.livejournal.com]

14 unless having a bus driver is a trick to the question. If the driver is counted it would be 16 legs.

The cats and backpacks may not be in the bus.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Oh yes... as mentioned in a comment above...
Do all the girls have two legs? That is not stated.

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

*too busy trying to imagine stuffing cats in backpacks*

[mummm.livejournal.com]

And imagine that many?! Those would have to be some BIG backpacks and some PATIENT cats.

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

Or comatose ones...

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Food laced with Valium?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

They were taking them home from science class.

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

*L* Ew!
So maybe they were already dissected and easier to carry. Still had all their legs?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

They fit in the packs better. And it didn't say that the legs were intact.

[dwivian]

Assuming no other entities on the bus, and nobody hanging body parts outside, and the requisite 2 leg girls and 4 leg cats...

Each big cat maintains 7 small cats, for 8 cats per big, inclusive.
Each bag has 7 big cats, for 56 cats total.
Each girl has 7 bags, for 392 cats in total.
392*4=1568 cat legs, +2 legs for the girl, is 1570 legs per girl system.

Seven girls makes that 10990.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

10 points!

[banana.livejournal.com]

There are 7 girls in a bus - 14 legs
Each girl has 7 backpacks - 49 backpacks
In each backpack, there are 7 big cats 7*49=343 big cats - 343*4=1372 legs
For every big cat there are 7 little cats 7*343=2401 little cats 2401*4=9604 legs

9604+1372+14=10990 legs, or 10992 if there's a driver

I learned that you can paste an expression into the Windows calculator: paste "1+2=" and it says "3". 8~)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Cool trick. You don't even have to hit enter. You can write out the formula in a text editor and paste it into the calculator when you're sure it's right.

I think it is 10990. :-)

[banana.livejournal.com]

BTW, is the rhyme about going to St. Ives well known in America?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

It's known. I wouldn't say it's well-known. I can't remember how it goes. I suspect that's the sort of thing that the current generations are no longer hearing.

[banana.livejournal.com]

As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives
Each wife had seven sacks
Each sack had seven cats
Each cat had seven kittens
How many were going to St. Ives?

The answer is a bit smaller than in your version.