I know you homeschoolers out there are always on the lookout for creative math word problems.  I present the following:

A seminarian needs to schedule an MRA (it’s like an MRI but looks at blood vessels in particular).  His insurance requires that this test take place at a hospital 14 miles away as the crow flies, but 24 miles away using conventional over-land routes.  Google maps suggests the drive will be 32 minutes but mapquest says 36.  His last class ends at 11:30 and Evening Prayer is at 5:00.  If there is 15 minutes of prep time, the test itself takes 45 minutes, and it takes 20 minutes to clean up and check out, and the hospital runs an average of 25 minutes behind schedule, how late can the seminarian schedule his appointment in order to make it back to the seminary in time for vespers?  (Assume, of course, massless springs, no air resistance, and frictionless pullies as necessary.)

Hmm, probably not quite Catholic enough to make it into Seton, though it does have a Catholic theme, and a contemporary political hot topic as well with respect to the health care issue.  (It would be much more convenient for me to go to the hospital across the street, but HMO rules are HMO rules).  Oooooh, I got it, Part II: How many rosaries can he pray while he’s driving and undergoing the test, if it normally takes 20 minutes to pray one five-decade rosary?  Ignore time lost for distractions on the road for such things as trying to safely merge into traffic.  Or, for the more advanced kiddos, assume 80% efficiency while driving and 90% while undergoing the test; those MRI machines make a lot of noise and the techs interrupt from time to time.

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