Fun With Math

When Nathan started Saxon Algebra 1/2 awhile back, I thought it would be a dry, boring textbook. It does have that look, anyhow. But then I started paying a little bit more attention to the word problems in each lesson. Like this one, back in Lesson 14:

In the flang-flung contest, Jesse Lee flang his fourteen million, six hundred forty-two units. When Jethroe tried, he flung his thirty-two million, fifteen thousand, thirty-two units. How much farther did Jethroe flung than Jesse Lee flang?

Well . . . someone obviously had a bit too much fun writing that problem, LOL. But then I realized quite a few of the word problems were . . . unique . . . to say the least.

Some enlarge vocabulary:

Because Edgar was sedulous, he turned into a boy genius and scored 2.53 times better than he did on his last calculus test. His last test score was 38 percent. What did he score on his latest test? (lesson 13) [Sedulous: working hard and steadily; diligent; persistent]

Some are ludicrously far-fetched:

Harry cornered 146 Komodo dragons in the backyard. Jennet cornered 5 times that number in the side yard. How many Komodo dragons did they corner altogether? (lesson 22)

Sometimes they are historical:

Hamilcar saw an average of 12 elephants a day daily for the 3 day period. He saw 8 elephants on the first day, and 7 elephants on the second day. How many elephants did he see on the third day? (lesson 30) [Hamilcar was Hannibal's father. He was also a Carthagenian general who used elephants. Interesting!]

Occasionally they are fanciful:

When the fog lifted, 440 ghosts were spotted skulking near the outskirts. If 240 ghosts were not spied, what fraction of the ghosts was not spied? (lesson 62)

Some make Nathan ready for lunch:

Deva ate 11/15 of the 7 1/2 kielbasas with spicy mustard. Zach ate the rest with sauerkraut. How many kielbasas did Zach eat? (lesson 64)

One sounds like a radio advertisement:

There was a big sale at Insane Irvings's Music Emporium! Everything, yes everything, was discounted 20% off the already unbelieveable low prices. (a) What was the discount on a boom box that was already an incredibly low $79? (b) What was the new insane price? (lesson 86)


I don't remember problems that actually made me laugh in my school math books! Someone had way too much fun thinking up these problems!