Puzzle of the Week
(September 15 - 19, 2008)

Algebra CAT

      Solve substituting the letters with numbers:

                 CAT = (C + A + T) x C x A x T
                      Answer:  135 = (1 + 3 + 5) × 1 × 3 × 5

Solve this puzzle and win a $5 gift certificate prize!!!  If you are a bona fide student of COM-FSM Pohnpei Campus, you can email your answer to gmangonon@comfsm.fm, or submit your answer to any of Math/Science Division instructor, or at the Math/Sci Faculty Office.  Be ready to defend your answer.

You can also win gift items by solving these puzzles specifically designed for students in different Math course levels.  When submitting your answer, make sure you present your registration paper to prove that you are enrolled in any of these Math course levels.

For MS095 students:
 Kimberly Ann takes out a loan to buy a fixer-upper house. She then spends  $4310 in repairs and improvements. She sells the house for  $89,470 but pays the new owners  $2540 in closing costs. If the payoff for the loan that Kimberly Ann took out to buy the house is  $74,974, what is her net? Is it a profit or loss?
Answer: $7646; profit

 For MS096 students:

 The equation y =  0.004x  - 0.10 can be used to determine the approximate profit, y in dollars, of producing x items. How many items must be produced so the profit will be at least $ 3085?
Answer:  x ≥ 771,275 
For MS099 students:

 Solve and graph. Write the solution in set builder and interval notation. |0.25t-5|+4>6 Answer:  SB: {t/t < 12 or t >28} 
IN: (-∞,  12) u ( 28, ∞)		 For MS100 students:

 Determine the center and radius of the circle represented by the equation
(x – 5/4)2 + (y-3/4)2 = 25/16
 Answer: center: (5/4, 3/4); radius: 5/4