BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Original Handbook Problem: Lily is going to the movies with Abby, Bea and Jaclyn. Abby wants to sit at the end of a row, and Bea only cares that she is seated next to Jaclyn. In how many different ways can the girls be seated in a single row that has only four seats? (2015-16 Problem #5)

Why the Mathtastic 4 Team got high scores in mathematical content:

  • They provide 3 clear explanations of how to solve the problem (1:44, 3:50 and 4:12).
  • Their 3 solutions utilize different math skills: counting (1:44), tree diagram (3:50) and permutation (4:12).
  • They devote a substantial amount of time to the solutions in a way that is creative and doesn’t feel long or boring.

What else the judges liked:

  • Cute story about 4 old friends reminiscing about going to the movies.
  • Creative use of simple effects and costumes to make their video look like an old-timey silent film, which ties into their story.
Difficulty
MVC Content Area
CCSS (Common Core State Standard)