document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=84872>Question 84872</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hello. I've tried this problem but came to no logical solution. Please help.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A monk has a very specific ritual for climbing up the steps to the temple. First he climbs up to the middle step and meditates for 1 minute. Then he climbs up 8 steps and faces east until he hears birds singing. Then he walks down 12 steps and picks up a pebble. He takes one step up and tosses the pebble over his left shoulder. Now, he walks up the remaining steps three at a time which only takes 9 paces. How many steps are there?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thank you very much for your help. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #219671 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=galnamedpam><B>galnamedpam(1)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/iconNewId_16x16.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=galnamedpam><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=219671\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The correct answer is in fact 49!!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "let me confirm it for you.  If there are 49 steps, and you start at the middle step, that is step #25 (there would be 24 on one side, and 24 on the other, and you are on the middle step.)  Add 8 steps, so 33 is where you are now.  He walks down 12, so he's at 21 now.  He then takes one step up, so now he's at 22.  His three strides, or THREE STEPS EACH, mean he just went up 27 steps, he was at 22, added those 27, so there are 49 steps.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The reason 46 in the other answer is incorrect is you've missed the one step he took up.  After the 8 up, 12 down, 1 up (your missed one) he is THREE steps from the middle.  Then he takes 27 to the top.  Now remember, he is 3 from the middle, so after he reaches the middle, there are 24 steps left... so that is 24 steps from the middle to the top, but remember there is the OTHER side of the middle.  So again, 24 on each side, and he's in the middle step between them, making the total 49. </SPAN>\n" );
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