Can You Distribute 20 lbs of Pressure Oddly Across 5 Hours?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves distributing 20 lbs of pressure over 5 hours using only odd positive integers. The challenge is to find suitable values that meet these criteria without using even numbers or fractions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the implications of using odd numbers and question the inclusion of zero as a valid value. Some discuss the mathematical properties of odd and even numbers in relation to the problem's requirements.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various interpretations of the problem's constraints, particularly regarding the acceptance of zero. Some participants suggest that if zero is not allowed, the problem may not have a solution, while others express skepticism about the problem's validity.

Contextual Notes

There is ambiguity regarding the definition of odd numbers and whether zero can be included in the solution set. The problem's constraints are strictly defined, leading to differing opinions on the feasibility of finding a solution.

reinaldo
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Complex Mathematical Puzzle!

Distribute 20 lbs of pressure in 5 hours, the numbers Must be Odds and each hour must have a value; you can't use even numbers, nor frations, just positives completes!

which are the values??
 
Physics news on Phys.org


Well technically 0 is a value, so

hour 1 = 17
hour 2 = 1
hour 3 = 1
hour 4 = 1
hour 5 = 0.

If 0 is not counted then there is no real solutions.
 


two odds always make an even. 2n+1 + 2n+1 = 4n+2. Since any integer 2n is always even, 4n is also always even. And any even number plus 2 is always even. This also implies 4 odds always make an even.

Then to add an odd to the even number makes it odd

Thus this problem has no solution.

If 0 is acceptable then it has a few solutions.
 


Zero isn't odd in any system of defining 'odd' I've ever heard of. I'm not sure what the point of this problem is. Anybody have any idea?
 


The answer is you can't
 

Similar threads

Replies
14
Views
8K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 69 ·
3
Replies
69
Views
5K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
12K