A Tale of Poor Math Skills
I am writing in response to your request for additional
information in Block #3 of the accident reporting form. I
put "Poor Planning" as the cause of my accident. You asked
for a fuller explanation, and I trust the following
details will be sufficient.
I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I
was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building.
When I completed my work, I found I had some bricks
left over which when weighed later were found
to weigh 240 lbs.
Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I
decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley
which was attached to the side of the
building at the sixth floor.
Sec uring the rope at ground level, I went up
to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded
the bricks into it. Then I went down and untied
the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent
of the 240 lbs of bricks. You will note on the accident
reporting form that my weight is 135 lbs.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I
lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless
to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the
building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel which was
now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed. This
explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions
and the broken collarbone, as listed in Section 3, accident
reporting form.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent,
not stopping until the fingers of my right
hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley
which I mentioned in Paragraph 2 of this
correspondence. Fortunately, by this time, I had
regained my presence of mind and was able to hold
tightly to the rope, in spite of the
excruciating pain that was beginning to sieze my body.
At approximately the same time, however, the
barrel of bricks hit the ground, and the bottom fell out of
the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, the
barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs. I refer you again to my
weight.
As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of
the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I
met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two
fractured ankles, broken tooth and severe lacerations
of my legs and lower body.
Here my luck began to change slightly. The encounter with
the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries when I
fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately only three vertebrae
were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of
bricks, in pain, unable to move and watching the empty barrel six
stories above me, I again lost my composure and presence of mind
and let go of the rope.
You can check your answer for this puzzle
here.