Mill math matters

The air was filled with the familiar scent of sawdust as Badger and Yote worked steadily at the small lumber mill. It was nestled at the edge of the forest, where towering pines and firs seemed to touch the sky. The old mill had stood there for generations, its wooden beams darkened by time and countless hours of hard work. The rhythmic buzz of the saw slicing through logs echoed through the valley, harmonizing with the rustling of autumn leaves in the crisp breeze.

It was the heart of fall, and the two friends were in full swing preparing for winter. They had spent the morning felling trees and hauling them to the mill, and now, as the afternoon sun dipped toward the horizon, they were busy cutting the logs into boards that would be used to repair the barn, mend fences, and stack away for firewood. The freshly cut boards piled up higher and higher as Badger fed the saw, and Yote stacked and sorted the planks with meticulous care.

The mill’s old water wheel creaked and splashed, powering the saw as it had for decades. Badger leaned on a stack of boards to catch his breath and wiped his brow with the back of his paw. “It’s a good haul today,” he said, looking at the piles of cut lumber. “We should have enough to get us through the winter and then some.”

Yote grinned as he measured another board. “That we do,” he replied, tossing a piece of scrap wood into a nearby pile. “But I’ve got a puzzle for you, Badger—something to keep our minds as sharp as the saw blade.”

Badger raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I’m all ears. What sort of puzzle are you thinking?”

Yote reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of chalk. He began to draw on one of the mill’s support beams, sketching out a quick diagram with numbers and arrows. “It’s a numbers puzzle,” he said, standing back to admire his work. “See if you can figure it out.”

You have a total of 7 logs.
Each log can be cut into boards using exactly 4 cuts.
You can only cut one log at a time.
Each cut divides a log into two separate pieces.
How many individual boards will you end up with in total?

🧠 This puzzle teaches us how to break down larger problems into smaller, manageable steps. It’s a practical skill, especially in settings like the lumber mill, where efficiency and planning are crucial. Badger and Yote’s puzzle reflects the kind of problem-solving used in everyday life, showing that math isn’t just about numbers on a page but about thinking through real-world challenges.

And now for some more fun.👇