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Annoyingly simple question that I simply cannot get my head around



I have to do all these questions for my university course and I've done much harder ones than this but every time I come back to it I cannot get any other answer than the ones I've gotten thus far...There is my working out and the question. Please help me maths boffins as none of the provided help useful :smile:
Original post by alexmaude


I have to do all these questions for my university course and I've done much harder ones than this but every time I come back to it I cannot get any other answer than the ones I've gotten thus far...There is my working out and the question. Please help me maths boffins as none of the provided help useful :smile:


Try 4.6 5.1 4.4
I got:
h=4.4
r=4.6
e=5.1

The bit I don't understand in your working out is why you've put h+0.7+h+h=14.1? It states in the question that h is not equal to r, so 2h is not gonna equal h+r.
Reply 3
Original post by alexmaude


I have to do all these questions for my university course and I've done much harder ones than this but every time I come back to it I cannot get any other answer than the ones I've gotten thus far...There is my working out and the question. Please help me maths boffins as none of the provided help useful :smile:



Original post by AlmostNotable
Try 4.6 5.1 4.4

you did it wrong buddy
Original post by tnetennba
I got:
h=4.4
r=4.6
e=5.1

The bit I don't understand in your working out is why you've put h+0.7+h+h=14.1? It states in the question that h is not equal to r, so 2h is not gonna equal h+r.


Right so let's do this from the beginning
The elephant is 0.7 tonnes more than the hippopotamus
E+0.7=H
H=R (let us assume for now they're equal, we know they're similar though)
E+H+R+C=15
E+H+R=14.1

where H=R
E+2H=14.1

where E+0.7=H
E+2(E+0.7)=14.1
3E+1.4=14.1
3E=12.7
E=4.2(rounded to the nearest decimal place)

where E=4.2
4.2+0.7=H
H=4.9

now where H=R
we would think that R=4.9 right?
let's sub it back in to make sure ti does actually work
E=4.2
H=4.9
R=4.9

4.2+4.9+4.9+0.9(for the cages)=14.9

remember H didn't exactly equal R? it was "roughly the same" so not exactly the same

so just increase the weight of the rhino by 1 ton

E=4.2
H=4.9
R=5.0
C=0.9

there that should work
Original post by dskinner
You fool the hippopotamus isn't 0.7 tonnes heavier than the elephant
you failed at the first step bro lol


you did it wrong buddy


Right so let's do this from the beginning
The elephant is 0.7 tonnes more than the hippopotamus
E+0.7=H
H=R (let us assume for now they're equal, we know they're similar though)
E+H+R+C=15
E+H+R=14.1

where H=R
E+2H=14.1

where E+0.7=H
E+2(E+0.7)=14.1
3E+1.4=14.1
3E=12.7
E=4.2(rounded to the nearest decimal place)

where E=4.2
4.2+0.7=H
H=4.9

now where H=R
we would think that R=4.9 right?
let's sub it back in to make sure ti does actually work
E=4.2
H=4.9
R=4.9

4.2+4.9+4.9+0.9(for the cages)=14.9

remember H didn't exactly equal R? it was "roughly the same" so not exactly the same

so just increase the weight of the rhino by 1 ton

E=4.2
H=4.9
R=5.0
C=0.9

there that should work


I did it wrong? You are the one who failed on the first line. Elephant weighs 0.7 greater than hippo. E-0.7=H not E+0.7=H
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by AlmostNotable
I did it wrong? You are the one who failed on the first line. Elephant weighs 0.7 greater than hippo. E-0.7=H not E+0.7=H


yes you did do it wrong

let us assume that E=3.4 tons
and H=2.7 tons

E is 0.7 tons greater than H

E>H

Make it simpler let's take out the value of mass which leaves us with
"An elephant weights more than a hippopotamus"

can i make it more obvious that E+0.7=H is correct?


sorry my mistake you go it right :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by dskinner
yes you did do it wrong

let us assume that E=3.4 tons
and H=2.7 tons



...lol.

So E - 0.7 = 3.4 - 0.7 = 2.7 = H.

E + 0.7 = 3.2 + 0.7 = 32.7 =/= H.

I'd advise against calling people fools.
Reply 7
Original post by Zacken
...lol.

So E - 0.7 = 3.4 - 0.7 = 2.7 = H.

E + 0.7 = 3.2 + 0.7 = 32.7 =/= H.

I'd advise against calling people fools.


Seems i'm the fool this time >.>
Reply 8
Haha this thread is amusing, thanks for the replies guys!

May I just say though E-0.7=H is the same as E=H+0.7
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by alexmaude
Haha this thread is amusing, thanks for the replies guys!

May I just say though E-0.7=H is the same as E=H+0.7


What is the correct answer mate, if you did find out?

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 10
Still waiting on a correct answer 😂😂 pretty sure the website is broken or something
Original post by alexmaude
Still waiting on a correct answer 😂😂 pretty sure the website is broken or something

Hmm, just a longshot, but in reality a rhino actually weighs more than a hippo. So if you switch around the two weights, is it correct? As you approximated R(squiggly equals)H, so then either variable could take either value, and in reality R>H, therefore R should take the larger final value?
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 12
Rhino= 4.3
Elephant = 4.6
Hippo= 5.3
Reply 13
The answer is H=4.5 R=4.5 E=5.2

My method was right lol just rounding up was wrong

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