Question

If two and a half lumberjacks can cut down two and a half trees in two and a half days, how many trees can 10 lumberjacks cut down in five days?

Answer 1

10 lumberjacks can cut down 10 trees in five days.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find out how many trees 10 lumberjacks can cut down in five days, we can use the information given in the question. If two and a half lumberjacks can cut down two and a half trees in two and a half days, it means that each lumberjack can cut down one tree in the same time frame. Therefore, any given number of lumberjacks can cut down the same number of trees in the same time period. Since there are 10 lumberjacks, they can cut down 10 trees in five days.

Answer 2

One lumberjack can cut down 0.4 trees per day, so in five days, one lumberjack can cut down 2 trees. Accordingly, 10 lumberjacks can cut down 20 trees in five days.

Step-by-step explanation:

If two and a half lumberjacks can cut down two and a half trees in two and a half days, we can set up a proportion to find out how many trees 10 lumberjacks can cut down in five days. Assuming productivity remains constant, we start by determining the daily output of lumberjacks per day. Since two and a half lumberjacks cut down two and a half trees in two and a half days, one lumberjack would cut down 1 tree in two and a half days, meaning they would cut down 0.4 trees in one day.

Next, we calculate the number of trees one lumberjack can cut in five days, which would be 0.4 trees per day times 5 days, equating to 2 trees. Therefore, 10 lumberjacks would cut 10 times that amount, resulting in 20 trees in five days.

These calculations help us explore production in the short run, and with further information, we could evaluate the efficiency of using a two-person crosscut saw.