Problem solving! Math Question.?

Question

A worm is at the bottom of a 12 foot wall. Every day the worm crawls up 3 ft, but at night it slips down two feet. How many days does it take the worm to get to the top of the wall?

I keep getting 12, no matter what I do. and I don't think that that is the answer because it seems too easy. I even drew a diagram and I still get 12. What am I missing if anything?

Answer 1

i think its 12 also

=]

go with it.

Answer 2

After 9 days and nights he will have traveled 9 feet (up 3, down 2 for 9 days)

On the 10th day he will climb up 3 feet and be at the top of the 12 foot wall.

Answer:

10 days

Answer 3

are  you sure it isnt asking when it goes over, or just get to the top, cause theoritically, on the 10th day, he gets up to 12 feet except slips back to 10

then on the 12th day he gets to 14 feet slips to 12, so theoritically the answer is 13 days because by the 13 feet as in hes out of that wall so he cant slip down. try reread the questioon

Answer 4

9 days because it can't slip down once it is at the top!

Answer 5

dude its 10 days in total and not 12 days try and make the diagram again and think if he can only climb 1 ft. in whole 24hrs then he will be able to climb 9 feets only in 9 whole days and on 10th day he will be out of the well if he really wanna get out of it otherwise he can spend 12 days and hav party there

haaaaaaaaaaaa

Answer 6

10 days! 'cos it gets the top of the wall at the end of the 10th day.

Sure it will slip at night down, but it nevertheless GOT it.

Answer 7

The trick is to figure out when it reaches the top of the well, because then it can crawl over the edge and won't fall back down that night.  So it will take 9 days to get up to the 9 foot level, right?  Then on the tenth day, it goes up 3 feet, and reaches the top of the well.  So, the answer is 10 days. (Basically, you subtract the 3 feet daily climb from the total of 12 feet to get the last day of climbing and slipping.  Then one more day will do the trick.)

Answer 8

Your missing a detail and this is a riddle how can it be a math problem.  Anyway.  Take it from the nine day.  The worm crawls up three.  Now you already were at 8ft from the eight day.  So that will make you 11ft and then you go down two so you have 9ft.  Then 10 you get 12ft.  But here is the thing that would either make you still inside or about outside.  Anyway.  Slide down you, so your at 10ft.  Next day is the eleventh day.  You will be at 13ft in other words over the dang wall.  Why would you slide back.  Smiles.  So 11 days thats your answer.