December 18, 2012

Problem of the Week

for Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Joe's home is five blocks from the school. Each school day he flips a coin at every street corner. If he flips a heads, he travels one block north. If he flips a tails, he travels one block east. He does this five times, once at each street corner. If he arrives at his school, he attends. Otherwise he will arrive somewhere else along the river and go fishing. What are the chances that on a given school day, Joe will attend school?

Winners of the five block walk