Question

Dear Mitch,

I saw you posted one of those balance scale math problems the other day.  It related to the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah and was interesting, but unfortunately the community of the Christian school in which I teach makes such a problem something I wouldn't feel completely comfortable presenting to my students so early in the school year without at least offering a similar one relating to a Christian holiday as an alternative alongside it.  Could you post another one with a more generic or ecumenical subject matter?  I would like to use a problem like that to teach the methodology of solving algebraic "balance problems", as they present a nice set-up to move into the area of Systems of Equations.

Thank you in advance for helping out with this, assuming you do happen upon this request and provide a response before the class gets to the topic.  (Which should be within the next two weeks.)

Happy Holiday,

Dr. L. McLare,

Saint John's Community Center School 

Answer

Dear Dr. L. McLare,

Yes, of course I would be happy to provide a balance scale puzzle with a wider demographic appeal than the Rosh Hashanah one you mentioned.  How about one utilizing three past U.S. presidents, each of whom (to keep it in the seasonal spirit) was born in the month of October?  (Though, of course, the Octobers of their births were Octobers of different years!) 

Stay tuned, as the images of the scales and the October-born presidents will appear below, very soon, so just check back within a day or two and simply scroll down...

I think you'll find it to be just what you're seeking!

QUESTION:

HOW MANY THEODORE ('TEDDY') ROOSEVELTS WOULD YOU HAVE TO PLACE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF SCALE C IN ORDER  TO MAKE THAT SCALE (SCALE C) BALANCE AS PERFECTLY AS THE BALANCES WE OBSERVE IN SCALE A AND SCALE B?

I hope it helps, and I hope you and your students enjoy solving it,

Mitch