[Moral Hazard]

"If it takes Sam six minutes to wash a car by himself," one fan asked recently, "and it takes Brian eight minutes to wash a car by himself, how long will it take them to wash a car together?"

1/6 + 1/8 = 14/48 = 7/24 of a carwash-per-minute. So it takes 24/7 = 3 + 3/7 minutes. Doesn't take a math major to do that in your head.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

"If it takes Sam six minutes to wash a car by himself," one fan asked recently, "and it takes Brian eight minutes to wash a car by himself, how long will it take them to wash a car together?"

"1/6 + 1/8 = 14/48 = 7/24 of a carwash-per-minute. So it takes 24/7 = 3 + 3/7 minutes. Doesn't take a math major to do that in your head."

Plus 2 minutes to argue about the right soap, technique, etc.; 1 minute for a water fight after Sam "accidentally" sprays Brian; 1 minute waiting for turns with the hose; and, 4 minutes pointing out spots each other missed.

Substitute Paris Hilton for either Sam or Brian, and all times are quadrupled.

[Ichneumon]

1/6 + 1/8 = 14/48 = 7/24 of a carwash-per-minute. So it takes 24/7 = 3 + 3/7 minutes. Doesn't take a math major to do that in your head.

Yeah, but if a chicken-and-a-half can lay an egg-and-a-half in a day-in-a-half, how many hens to lay six eggs in six days?

Okay, that was the easy one (with proper insight, it can be done in your head *real* easily). Now try this one:

If a hen and a half lays an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many and a half that lay better by half will lay half a score and a half in a week and a half?

[Charles Henrickson]

If it takes Sam six minutes to wash a car by himself . . . and it takes Brian eight minutes to wash a car by himself, how long will it take them to wash a car together?

My first response was three-and-a-half minutes, since one guy can do half-a-car in three minutes and the other can do half-a-car in four minutes. But that would require them to divvy up the car just right, so the fast guy does a little more than the slow guy. But if they divvied up the car exactly in half, the answer would be four minutes. The fast guy would be done in three minutes, and then have to stand around for a minute waiting for the other guy to get done with his half.

[kmiller1k]

Ok, first I am not an math major but when I thought about the problem I thought about my own sons' washing my car. The older one can wash it in 6 minutes and the younger in 8 minutes. They both start washing the car at the same time. Older son finishes his side in 3 minutes and younger in 4 minutes--are you suggesting that the boy who finishes his side first would begin to help wash his brother's side so they would finish in 3 and a half minutes instead of four? The car is not clean until both sides are done. Four minutes.

[DB]

Correct.

[Hildy]

Is there anything you people won't find fault with? It was a QUESTION ASKED BY A STUDENT. She's a math TUTOR. I know you're all supergeniuses...that's why you spend all day on the computer mocking those who are actually doing things. Yikes.