Problem Solving

We have the taskt to solve some problems for the subject Thinking Skills, below you will find the problem and my solution:

1) Luke needs various lengths of pipe to complete some home improvement work. Specifically, he needs one pipe each of lengths 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, 7 m, and 9 m. He can buy pipe in lengths of 2 m, 4 m, 6 m, 8 m, 10 m, and 20 m and cut them to the sizes he needs. Pipe costs $1 per metre whatever the length of pipe bought. What is the least that Luke must spend on the pipes to get the lengths he requires? 
A) $25 
B) $26 
C) $28 
D) $30 

• B ($ 26), because if you buy the 20m it is enough for 4 pipes and the only one missing is the 5m. So he buys the 6m and he has 1m left.

2) In an attempt to boost my collection, I wrote to 53 celebrities asking for signed photographs, and I enclosed a stamped addressed envelope with each request. The stamps cost 66 cents each. I was pleased to receive replies from 31 of them. Which one of the pieces of information given above is not needed to work out how much this exercise cost me in postage? 

A) A stamped addressed envelope was enclosed with each request. 
B) I wrote to 53 celebrities. 
C) The stamps cost 66 cents each. 
D) 31 celebrities replied. 

• D, because I do not care how many people answered me since I already spent the money for the 53 celebrities, no matter how many answered me.

3) I want to attend one football match this month. Since I want to see a good match, I have decided to see a team who finished within four places of my team last year. My team finished 8th last year. I also want to watch an away game but would like to travel the shortest distance possible to reach the game. I have summarised the information about this month’s matches for my team in the table shown below.           

	Wednesday game				Saturday game
Week	Location	Distance to travel (km)	Ticket price ($)	Opponent’s position last year	Location	Distance to travel (km)	Ticket price ($)	Opponent’s position last year
1	Home	2	40	17	Away	21	50	1
2	Away	52	38	5	Away	32	42	11
3	Home	2	35	9	Home	2	45	14
4	Away	14	47	2	Home	2	40	7

 Which match will I go to see? 

A) Week 1 Saturday 
B) Week 2 Wednesday 
C) Week 2 Saturday 
D) Week 3 Wednesday

• A, (Week 1 Saturday) because they are the best team being in the first place. Also, the  distance he has to travel is the closest compared to the other options.