Tuesday, June 24, 2008

This is why I hate cats!

I don't remember much about the fifth grade. I remember not wanting to show my teeth in school pictures. It probably had something to do with one photo having two of me (thank you creepy reflection photos), thus twice the amount of teeth I already felt self-conscious about. So I now have a collection of elementary photos where I'm grinning ear to ear like I'm trying to pry the super glue from my lips. I remember having to line up with my other female classmates while we were checked for scoliosis... because those years weren't awkward enough without having to either wear a bra you couldn't fill, or show up in a t-shirt while you hunched over to see if you had bigger problems than teeth that weren't exactly straight. Those are the things I remember. What I don't remember is having math problems that made me want to have a tall glass of Kool-Aid on the rocks.

My sister sent me an e-mail today with a math problem that is supposedly on a fifth-grade level. I always appreciate when I'm having the most splendidly average day, then someone sends me something that makes me feel less than adequate. That's good times. So, I rushed through it a couple of times, confident in my IQ level, only to be crushed by stupidity. I got it wrong. Twice. Then, as I was driving home, I started to think about it in the car and with my cell phone calculator ("no officer, I wasn't texting while driving, I was calculating... that's much more intellectual"), I came up with the right answer... then celebrated my great achievement of being able to compete with fifth graders. My lifelong goal is finally accomplished.

So, here you go. Grab your pencil, calculator, and maybe a sprinkle of humility. Don't worry if you find yourself obsessing over it, struggling or cursing- a Vodka tonic works just as well as Kool-Aid.

There are 7 girls on a bus (no bus driver).
Each girl has 7 backpacks.
Each backpack has 7 large cats.
Each large cat has 7 small kittens.
How many legs are on the bus?

(This is not a trick question.) Post your answer under the comments and the first person to get it wins bragging rights. Jon- you're already out!

Warning: Someone has posted the correct answer, so don't open the comments until you're ready to know.

6 comments:

Cherilyn said...

I came up with 10,990....but I also came up with the answer that I do not want to be on that bus. Yikes!

Is that right? Kind of a tricky question.

Jen Stadler said...

I like your second answer (about being on the bus)!!! Congratulations, you are as smart as a 5th grader. And I know you're even smarter!

Ray said...

Of course, elave it to the news geek.

Anonymous said...

I, too, will concur with Cherilyn . . . I DO NOT under any circumstances whatsoever want to be on that bus! And, I'll take that Kool-Aid spritzer any time, thank you very much! :) 10990. Thanks "church official box" for the brand new brain cells I just acquired from this exercise.

Amy Garrison

Kristi said...

I got 9618. Dang. I was dumber as a 5th grader... but not by much.

Love,
Natural Blonde.

florence said...

I'll leave the smart answer- buses don't have legs! My answer is zero!

Hah! Hah!