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Puzzle 33. IN A STORE |
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Billy is known to his friends as the "mathwiz" for his
excellent mathematical ability. One day, he bought 4 items worth $6.75
from a store. During the check out, his friend alerted him that the store
clerk, instead of adding the prices, multiplied the prices of the 4 items he
bought. Billy did not seem to care much about it. Instead, he said,
"The price is the same whether you multiplied them or added them."
If one of the items he bought was worth $1.50, what are the prices of the three
other items he bought.
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Bits and Beyond... PI Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Approximation of pi has began as early as the ancient times. One of the well-known one was by the great Greek mathematician Archimedes, who started approximating Pi by inscribing a hexagon into a circle. With the hexagon, pi was calculated to have a value of 3. Doubling the number of sides and inscribing a dodecagon in the same circle, his new value became closer to pi. He continued until he used a 96-gon, and found a better approximation of 3.1419. A Chinese mathematician Lui Hui took Archemedes' method farther. He used a 3,072-gon and approximated pi to have a value of 3.1416. A very good approximation.
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