Idaho Society of Professional Engineers
Friday Update – 09/15/06
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• September 19, 2006 –
ISPE Southwest Chapter
Noon Luncheon Meeting
• September 28, 2006 –
ASCE Southern Idaho Section Noon
Meeting
• October 27, 2006 - PE and PS
Examinations - Boise, Idaho
• October 28, 2006 - FS (aka
LSIT) Examination - Boise, Idaho, Pocatello, Idaho, Moscow, Idaho
• October 28, 2006 - FE (aka EIT)
Examination - Boise, Idaho. Pocatello, Idaho, Moscow, Idaho
• February 6 – 10, 2007 –
Idaho Society of Professional Land
Surveyors Conference - Coeur d' Alene Casino - Worley, Idaho
NSPE's Legislative
Action Center, a grassroots program
brought to you by NSPE, allows you to contact members of Congress about issues
affecting the engineering profession, view a scorecard of how legislators voted,
check the status of legislation important to engineers, and much more.
Hotline for Members
Are you an NSPE member with a question about engineering licensure, ethics, or
law? If so, call 888-384-4295 or e-mail.
Please provide your 9-digit NSPE member number.
MATHCOUNTS PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
Can you solve this MATHCOUNTS problem? The answer will appear in next week's
edition of the Friday Update!
United States Postage
From 1937 to 1958, the first class postage rate to mail a letter in the United
States was 3 cents. So, for just one dime, people could send three letters!
Postage rates have increased since then to the current 2006 rate of 39 cents to
mail a first class letter. What is the positive difference between the number of
first class letters that could have been sent for one dollar in 1940 and the
number of first class letters you can send for one dollar in 2006?
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During the years 1937-1958, the 3-cent United States commemorative stamps were
usually printed in 5x10 rectangular sheets of 50 stamps. In 2006, the 39-cent
commemorative stamps are usually printed in 4x5 rectangular sheets of 20 stamps.
What is the ratio of the cost of purchasing a sheet of 50 3-cent commemorative
stamps in 1950 to the cost of purchasing a sheet of 20 39-cent commemorative
stamps issued in 2006? Express your answer as a common fraction.
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Stamps are also sold in rolls of 100 stamps. Robert has an unlimited number of
rolls of 5-cent and 8-cent stamps. What is the greatest value of postage he
cannot put on an envelope using stamps from these rolls?
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Marta collects first day of issue envelopes. The first day of issue is the day
on which a postage stamp is officially put on sale at a particular post office.
On the first day of sale, a person at that post office puts one stamp on an
envelope addressed to Marta and the stamp is then cancelled with the date of
issue and the name of the issuing post office. A few days later Marta finds the
envelope in her mailbox. In 2006 the cost of each first day of issue
commemorative stamp, including the envelope, is $0.75. If 23 new commemorative
stamps are issued in 2006, and Marta buys exactly one first day of issue stamp
and envelope for each of these new issues, how much will Marta spend on the
first day of issue stamps and envelopes during 2006?
Answer to last week’s MATHCOUNTS problem:
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won 71 of (71+62) = 133 games. Their winning
percentage rate is 71/133 = 0.534 when expressed to the nearest thousandth. To
project the number of wins for the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, use
(71/133 ) x 29 =15.48... Expressed to the nearest whole number, the Los Angeles
Dodgers can project to win 15 of the remaining 29 games for a total of 86 wins
for the season.
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The New York Yankees have won 78 of (78+53) = 131 games. Their winning
percentage rate is 78/131 = 0.595 when expressed to the nearest thousandth. To
project the number of wins for the season for the New York Yankees, use (78/131)
x 31 = 18.45... Expressed to the nearest whole number, the New York Yankees can
project to win 18 of their remaining 31 games for a total of (78 + 18) = 96 wins
for the season. The Boston Red Sox have won 71 of (71+62 ) = 133 games. They
need (96-71) = 25 more wins to tie the New York Yankees projected number of
wins. The Boston Red Sox have (162-133) = 29 games to play. The Boston Red Sox
winning percentage must be 25/29 = 0.862 to the nearest thousandth.
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At the same rate of hitting, Mauer will have 38 more hits in his last 109
at-bats, which leaves him with a final batting average of 189/541. As of August
30, 2006, Ichiro Suzuki has 179 hits in 559 at-bats. To calculate the fewest
number of hits Ichiro must have during the remainder of the season assuming he
has 141 more official at-bats, use the inequality (179 + x)/(559 + 141) >
(189/541). Solving for x, x must be greater than 65.54. Since hits come in whole
numbers, the fewest number of hits Ichiro must have is 66.
If you want to see last week's problem again, click
http://www.mathcounts.org/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=892&z=107
Idaho Society of Professional Engineers
PO Box 170239
Boise, ID 83717-0239
208-426-0636
Fax: 208-426-0639
E-Mail: ispe@idahospe.org
Web Site: www.Idahospe.org
Idaho
Society of Professional Engineers
