The Shrinking Pool: A Fun Math Challenge

Get ready for a mind-bending math challenge that will have you thinking outside the box! Imagine a pool that shrinks every time someone jumps into it. Sounds crazy, right? But that's exactly the premise of this exciting problem.

The Challenge

A boy is standing at the edge of a pool. He jumps in, and the pool shrinks to half its original size. He jumps in again, and it shrinks to half its size once more. This continues until the boy has jumped in a total of four times.

The question is: How long was the pool originally?

Solving the Puzzle

To solve this problem, we need to think about the pool's size after each jump. Here's how we can break it down:

• Jump 1: The pool shrinks to half its original size.
• Jump 2: The pool shrinks to half its size again, which means it's now one-fourth of its original size.
• Jump 3: The pool shrinks to half its size once more, making it one-eighth of its original size.
• Jump 4: The pool shrinks to half its size again, leaving it one-sixteenth of its original size.

After four jumps, the pool is one-sixteenth of its original size. To find the original size, we need to figure out what number, when divided by 16, equals the current size of the pool.

Example

Let's say the pool is now 10 feet long. To find the original length, we would multiply 10 by 16:

10 feet * 16 = 160 feet

Therefore, the original length of the pool was 160 feet.

Key Takeaways

This problem is a great way to practice basic multiplication and division skills. It also helps students understand the concept of fractions and how they can be used to represent parts of a whole.

Remember, the key is to break down the problem into smaller steps and work your way back to the original size.

Try It Yourself!

Want to give this challenge a try? See if you can figure out the original length of the pool if it's currently 5 feet long after four jumps.

Let us know in the comments below if you'd like to try another shrinking pool problem!