Movie Madness

Strategies and Hints

Mike had 15 tapes. Most people make the incorrect assumption that the number of tapes plus tape has to include tape. If the total number of original tapes is odd, this is a whole number. Working backwards:

Mike had at home
1 tape
Mike gave to Jeff

1 + = 2 tapes

Had before next trade 3 tapes
Mike gave to Maritza 3 + = 4 tapes
Had before next trade 7 tapes
Mike gave to JoAnne 7 + = 8 tapes
Mike had originally 15 tapes

Extension:

  1. There would be 2n - 1 where n = number of students. Therefore for 12 students there must be 8191 tapes.

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