Monograph No. 7: Problem Solving in the Mathematics Classroom
April 1982
Publication of the Mathematics Council of The Alberta Teachers’ Association
104 – 108
Elliott Bird
Problem: Two ropes hang 30 centimetres apart in a call room, 10 metres from floor to ceiling. A rope thief with a sharp knife wants to cake as much rope as possible, but while the thief can climb as high as necessary, a jump of more than 330 centimetres results in death. How much rope can the thief steal?