New Puzzler 2/7/97: Low Tide
Ray:
This is a puzzler for the kids. There is a yacht tied to the dock in the harbor at
dead low tide. The tide, because it is dead low, is obviously doing what ...
Tom:
Coming in.
Ray:
And it is coming in at the rate of two-thirds of a foot per hour. A steady rate of two-thirds of
a foot per hour. Right. So, if you were in the harbor and you were measuring the rate, after
a half hour it would have come in a third of a foot.
Tom: Got it.
Ray:
The porthole on the side of the yacht is 9 feet above the surface of the water.
How many minutes will it be until that distance is reduced from 9 feet to 7 and a
half feet. I made it hard, I could have said 7 and a third feet, but I didn't want
to. And I will give a hint - you can't use algebra to solve this problem.
[ Car Talk Puzzler ]
