An extra

9/29/09, 11:46 PM #1

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

An extra

Here is an extra.

34.�THE GROCER AND DRAPER.

A country "grocer and draper" had two rival assistants, who prided themselves on their

rapidity in serving customers. The young man on the grocery side could weigh up two

one-pound parcels of sugar per minute, while the drapery assistant could cut three one-

yard lengths of cloth in the same time. Their employer, one slack day, set them a race,

giving the grocer a barrel of sugar and telling him to weigh up forty-eight one-pound

parcels of sugar While the draper divided a roll of forty-eight yards of cloth into yard

pieces. The two men were interrupted together by customers for nine minutes, but the

draper was disturbed seventeen times as long as the grocer. What was the result of the

race?

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: An extra

9/30/09, 4:18 AM #2

Alex Yeilding
Guest

It depends?

on whether the draper had already won before the interruption occurred?

Re: An extra

9/30/09, 10:07 AM #3

Ken Oakley-Sunny St. Cloud, Fla.
Guest

Was it Brown or White sugar?

Re: An extra

9/30/09, 2:29 PM #4

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

Re: It depends?

Had not already won before interruptions ;-)

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: An extra

9/30/09, 2:45 PM #5

Alex Yeilding
Guest

Answer

Draper wins by 20 seconds. I had misread ("interrupted together" as time they both spent with customers rather than sum of time they spent with customers.

Re: An extra

9/30/09, 4:30 PM #6

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

;-)

A lot of people make a mistake in the number of cuts that the draper has to make.

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

An extra

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