How Can Snakes Be Cold Blooded?

Last Problem:

What does a typical shark do more than 30,000 times during its life?

Answer:

Lose a tooth. Some sharks have up to eight rows of teeth. Since shark’s teeth aren’t attached to their jaws, they can easily fall out during dinner. As one row of teeth is lost, a new row pops up from behind to replace it.

Today’s Problem:

Snakes are cold-blooded. What does this mean?

Sharks

Yesterday’s Problem

What is the average natural life span for a snake?

Answer:

20 to 30 years. Most snakes enter adulthood between their second and fourth birthdays. Those that do make into old age will live for around 20 to 30 years. But being a snake isn’t easy. Most snakes will either die from disease or be killed by their predators long before they reach the end of their natural life span.

Today’s Problem:

What does a typical shark do more than 30,000 times during its life?

How Much do You Know about Shakespeare?

Last Problem:

You need to buy decorations for a celebration. You are given exactly $100 to spend. You need to spend the entire $100, and you need to get 100 decorations. There are three types to choose from. One costs $.50, another costs $9.50, and the third costs $5.50. How many of each decoration must you purchase without considering sales tax?

Answer:

This was a tough one. I fully realize that many of you are probably turned off by all the math here – but I also know a few of you love a good math challenge. So here is the algebraic solution:

Let’s call the 50 cent decoration X, the $9.50 decoration Y, and the $5.50 decoration Z. Now X + Y + Z = 100 decorations, and $.50X + $9.50Y + $5.50Z= $100. To get rid of the X component, multiply the first equation by -.5, making X + Y + Z = 100 ====> -.5X – .5Y – .5Z = -50. Add it to the second equation:
.50X + 9.50Y + 5.50Z= 100
-.5X – .5Y – .5Z = -50
0X + 9.0Y + 5.0Z = 50 is the result of that, so 9Y + 5Z = 50. Break this down further and you can get
5Z = 50 – 9Y, and then Z = 10 – (9/5)Y when dividing both sides of the equation by 5. Since the decorations must be a whole number, not a fraction each, Z has to be a whole number. If Y is 0 (zero), then Z = 10, which then would be make .50 (X) + 9,50 (0) + 5.50 (10) = 100 => .5X = 100 – 55 = 45, so .5X = 45, X = 90. Then you’d buy 10 of the $5.50 decorations, and 90 of the $.50 decorations. This gives you 100 decorations for $100.
OR if Y is a different number, it can only be 5 so 9/5 will become a whole number. Then Y = 5, and Z = 10 – (9/5)Y becomes Z = 10 – 9 = 1. If Y = 5 and Z = 1, then .50X + 9.50Y + 5.50Z = 100 becomes .50X + 47.50 + 5.50 = 100, which breaks down into .5X = 47, making X = 94. Then you’d be buying 94 of the $.5 decoration, 5 of the $9.50 decoration, and 1 of the $5.50 decoration. This gives you 100 decorations for $100.
Any other value of Y will make Z a negative number, and you can’t buy less than zero of the Z decorations. These are the only two solutions to the teaser.

Today’s Problem:

Who was Shakespeare’s favorite actress?

How Many?

Yesterday’s Problem:

Unscramble the letters to make a word: PNLLEEEESSSSS

Answer:

sleeplessness

Today’s Problem:

You need to buy decorations for a celebration. You are given exactly $100 to spend. You need to spend the entire $100, and you need to get 100 decorations. There are three types to choose from. One costs $.50, another costs $9.50, and the third costs $5.50. How many of each decoration must you purchase without considering sales tax? (This one requires algebra and a little extra time to figure out!)