Historical Albebra Story Problem

[captain_slinky]

ganked from the pages of gamera_spinning's journal...

In the late 1500s and early 1600s Countess Elizabeth Bathory murdered 600 girls and bathed in their blood because she believed it kept her young. There are 5 liters of blood in an average human, and her bathtub has a 50 gallon capacity, but figure it will only accomodate 30 gallons since she has to get into the tub. 5 liters = 1.32086026 gallons. Assuming she bathed in pure blood, unthinned by water, how many young women did she have to drain to supply a single bath?

For some reason, I see this as being a problem that Brittany would take to school to share with the class and get me in trouble with. But it's an excellent learning tool! It's got historical information! It's got algebra! It's got decapitated beauties! How could The School Board object?

Comments

[nameless-savage.livejournal.com]

22.7, just off the top of my head. i'd take the time to do the actual math, but i'm lazy, and my guestimates are usually pretty right on anyways. oh the joys of having a high IQ, the ability to calculate dead girls with a single thought! horay :)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

It's good for just such an emergency as this :)