If the farmer, his wife, his son, his daughter, a neighbour and the family dog all pull the turnip equally, what fraction of the total pulling force does one human contribute?

medium 3 marks Class 3 · English · The Enormous Turnip

Answer

\frac{1}{6}

The correct answer is $\frac{1}{6}$ — Since a human is one of these participants, the fraction per human = $\frac{1}{6}$ .

Step-by-step solution

Count the participants: farmer, wife, son, daughter, neighbour, dog = 6.
Each contributes an equal share of the total force.
Share per participant = $\frac{1}{6}$ of total force.
Since a human is one of these participants, the fraction per human = $\frac{1}{6}$ .

Common mistake: Forgetting to include the dog in the total count

Concept tested: Basic fractions – sharing force