"Bucky the Badger had to do 83 pushups" -- sportscasters of several networks said after Wisconsin scored 83 points against Indiana on
November 13, 2010. But the sportscasters had their math wrong -- Bucky actually did 573 pushups! The routine
is the mascot does seven pushups when Wisconsin
reaches seven points, 59 pushups when Wisconsin reaches 59 points and so on. Add 'em up.
At some colleges and
high schools, the cheerleaders also do cumulative pushups representing the score.
The male cheerleaders at West Lake High School in Austin, Texas did 115 pushups when they played Anderson High School last Fall.
How many points did the football team score? (There may be more than one correct answer).
Please send in the order in which they scored touchdowns or field goals.
Hints:
(1) There were no safeties in this game.
(2) Each time the West Lake Football Team scored a touchdown, the kicker
made the extra point.
(so the cheerleaders only did push ups after 7 points or 3 points).
(3) The order in which a team scores a touchdown and a field goal makes
a difference in the number
of push ups the cheerleaders have to do.
Solution to the Problem:
West Lake High School actually scored 30 points in the game against Anderson.
Here is a table showing their pushups:
FG or TD
Push Ups after Score
Total Pushups for the Game
7
7
7
3
10
17
7
17
34
7
24
58
3
27
85
3
30
115
John Funk and Steve Muller sent in a different solution so they get extra credit:
7 + 7 + 3 + 3 + 7 + 3 = 30 points and 7+14+17+20+27+30=115 push ups.
Austin Hale, Karly Horton, and David & Judy Dixon also sent in a different solution so they get extra credit:
3 + 7 + 7 + 7 + 3 + 7 = 34 points and 3+10+17+24+30+37=115 push ups.
Kalvin Hereford, Levi Harmon, and Hazen Dickerson also sent in a different solution so they get extra credit:
7 + 3 + 7 + 3 + 7 + 7 = 34 points and 7+10+17+20+27+34=115 push ups.
James Alarie really got industrious and sent in four solutions, so he gets extra credit and a gold star!
3 + 7 + 7 + 7 + 3 + 7 = 34 points and 3+10+17+24+30+37=115 push ups.
7 + 3 + 7 + 3 + 7 + 7 = 34 points and 7+10+17+20+27+34=115 push ups.
7 + 3 + 7 + 7 + 3 + 3 = 30 points and 7+10+17+24+27+30=115 push ups.
7 + 7 + 3 + 3 + 7 + 3 = 30 points and 7+14+17+20+27+30=115 push ups.
Correctly solved by:
| 1. James Alarie | Flint, Michigan |
| 2. John Funk | Ventura, California |
| 3. Austin Hale |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 4. Steven R. Muller | Clear Brook Territory, Virginia |
| 5. Karly Horton |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 6. Kalvin Hereford |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 7. Levi Harmon |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |
| 8. David & Judy Dixon | Bennettsville, South Carolina |
| 9. Hazen Dickerson |
Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming |