A log is cut into 4 pieces in 12 seconds. At the same rate how long would it take to cut the log into 5 pieces?

HINT: the answer is not 15

We make 3 cuts to get 4 pieces.

We must make 4 cuts to get 5 pieces.
Set up a proportion.
(3cuts/12 s) = (4 cuts/? s)
Cross multiply
3cuts * ?seconds = 48
? sec = 48/3 = 16 seconds.
Check my thinking. Check my work.

To cut the log into 4 pieces takes 3 cuts. Each cut averages 4 seconds.

To cut the log into 5 pieces takes 4 cuts. How long do you think it will take to make 4 cuts?

To find out how long it would take to cut the log into 5 pieces, we can use the concept of proportionality.

Let's assume that cutting the log into 4 pieces in 12 seconds is a constant rate. This means that the time it takes to cut the log into 4 pieces is directly proportional to the number of pieces being cut.

So, we can set up a proportion to compare the time it takes to cut the log into 4 pieces with the time it takes to cut it into 5 pieces:

(4 pieces / 12 seconds) = (5 pieces / x seconds)

We can solve this proportion equation to find the value of x, which represents the time it would take to cut the log into 5 pieces.

Cross-multiplying the proportion, we have:

4x = 12 * 5

Simplifying the equation, we get:

4x = 60

Dividing both sides by 4, we find:

x = 60 / 4

Calculating this, we get:

x = 15

Therefore, it would take 15 seconds to cut the log into 5 pieces at the same cutting rate.