False Position Problem 1: The Brickmakers
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make ANY guess for the number of days.
2. Calculate the results using the guess.
(How many bricks could be made in that number of days with everyone working).
3. How far off is your guess from the true value needed (300).
4. Try using the answer in question 3 to scale your guess.You have just discovered the ancient method of false position!
NEED A HINT?
(2) Show algebraic expression under the problem.
(3) I used my guess and got __ bricks. But I needed 300 bricks. What could I multiply __ (my results) by to get 300? This is my scale. Now can you scale your guess?
REFERENCES:
Boman, E. (2009). False Position, Double False Position and Cramer’s Rule. College Mathematics Journal, 40(4), 279-283. (brick problem)
Sanford, V. (1951). The rule of false position. The Mathematics Teacher (5)307. (Robert’s story)