Answer to Mathematiques Sans Frontieres question last week
Eight workers are needed to bring in the grape harvest. Algebra or trial and error can be used effectively to find the answer. One solution would be to start with x workers. The big field then needs x workers for one day and x2 workers for one day, making x+x2 worker-days. The small field needs x2+2 worker-days. This leads to the equation 3x2=2(x2+2) and the solution x=8.
For information about next year’s competition, contact Brian Connelly, North Lanarkshire Council, Coat-bridge ML5 3BT, tel: 01236 812226.
