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Task

Mrs. Resch asked you to install a sprinkler system in her flower bed. The diagram below shows the location of sprinklers A, B, C, and D. The water source S is in the center of the bed.

A to B & D to C - 40 ft.
A to D & B to C - 20 ft.

I. How much pipe would be required to hook each sprinkler directly to the water source? Explain your answer.

II. Do you think she could save pipe by running pipe from S to A, from A to B, from B to C, and from C to D? Explain your answer.

III. Would running pipe from A to B and from C to D before connecting the midpoint of each line to the water source S save pipe? Justify your answer.

IV. If A is connected to D and B is connected to C and the midpoints of these two lines are connected to the water source, would Mrs. Resch save pipe over arrangement in part III. Explain your answer.

V. Would the arrangement in part IV save pipe over the arrangement in part I? Justify your answer.

VI. What other considerations might Mrs. Resch consider in choosing the hookup arrangement?

Rubric

Copyright 2008, Jon Mueller. Professor of Psychology, North Central College, Naperville, IL. Comments, questions or suggestions about this website should be sent to the author, Jon Mueller, at jfmueller@noctrl.edu.