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Stuck on a TSA Practice question.

Sally is helping her father dig worms for fishing.

"That's exactly enough," he says as she places a worm in his tin.

"How many do you need?" she enquires.

"I use 4 worms on my hook and reckon on having to replace an average of one of these each time I cast. I cast 12 times an hour. Today I will fish 5 pools spending an hour at the first 4 and an hour and a half at the fifth. I always discard the worms on my hook when walking between pools."

How many worms are in the tin?

66
69
81
86
264

It's been 20 minutes and I still can't seem to figure this question out. Will someone please enlighten me?

Reply 1

hobnob

Leprechaun

It's been 20 minutes and I still can't seem to figure this question out. Will someone please enlighten me?

Pool 1: 4 + 12 = 16 worms
Pool 2: ditto
Pool 3: ditto
Pool 4: ditto
Pool 5: 4 + 18 = 22 worms

So he uses (4 x 16) + 22 = 86 worms.

Reply 2

squeezebox

I think 81: 11 replaced worms in an hour, 17 in an hour and a half.

11x4 +17 + 20= 81

Reply 3

hobnob

squeezebox

I think 81: 11 replaced worms in an hour, 17 in an hour and a half.

11x4 +17 + 20= 81

Ah, yes, I think you're right. It says "I cast 12 times an hour", not "recast".

Reply 4

Leprechaun

hobnob

Pool 1: 4 + 12 = 16 worms
Pool 2: ditto
Pool 3: ditto
Pool 4: ditto
Pool 5: 4 + 18 = 22 worms

So he uses (4 x 16) + 22 = 86 worms.

WTF! I thought the question meant one hour for ALL FOUR POOLS. Sigh.....

Reply 5

hobnob

Leprechaun

WTF! I thought the question meant one hour for ALL FOUR POOLS. Sigh.....

Based on the choices you get, I doubt it can mean that.

I do think squeezebox's solution is correct, though. I read 'cast' as 'recast' for some reason, so I assumed he'd need an extra worm per pool.

Reply 6

Leprechaun

hobnob

Based on the choices you get, I doubt it can mean that.

I do think squeezebox's solution is correct, though. I read 'cast' as 'recast' for some reason, so I assumed he'd need an extra worm per pool.

Yes, I understand it does not mean that now. However, at the time, I went into a dead end and I still find the wordings a little unpleasantly ambiguous.

Reply 7

HoboNerd

squeezebox

I think 81: 11 replaced worms in an hour, 17 in an hour and a half.

11x4 +17 + 20= 81

Yes, this is correct.

Reply 8

DannyBoy123

I'm glad I don't have to do the TSA lol.

sAME

4*(12*1 + 3 (which he throw away at the end))+(12*1.5 + 3(which he throws away at the end)) = 60 + 21 = 81

Reply 11

coldfish

That question is horribly ambiguous. The question makes it sound as if you'd need to replace a worm when casting for the first time, which is clearly nonsense. Plus it also is ambiguous as to whether he's spending an hour at each of the four pools, or rather an hour in total.

I guess they expect you to use some common sense... they shouldn't in these sorts of questions, the whole point of them is to use only the information given.