Is Giving 110% Even Possible?
When I was in school, my parents told me, “Always give it 110%.” When I played football, the coach at some point in time gave a pep talk that included, “Give every game 110%.” At work, we’re often admonished by management to “give this project 110% of your efforts.” To be honest, I’ve always questioned that reasoning. I mean, isn’t 100% the ceiling? The cap? The top measure? To say otherwise is simply math that doesn’t add up.
Not long ago, this mathematical problem began making the rounds on the internet. You would think math is the universal language and, therefore, can only have a singular outcome; but there are two possible solutions to this puzzle, and both are found by using plain old math. Can you find both? I’ll explain the answers at the end of this article.
Just as this problem has more than one answer, it turns out you actually CAN give more than 100%. Think about it this way: If you’re driving from Jacksonville, FL to Los Angeles, CA non-stop, you aren’t going to gun your motor full speed and rocket across I-10 until you get to your destination. You (hopefully) adhere to the speed limit, slow down occasionally for heavier traffic, stop for gasoline, rest stop breaks and meals. Each time you stop and fill up with gas, you’re increasing the 100% availability of the tank. It’s the same way with the projects, people and life-events we interact with. Give your absolute best….step back and observe…..renew & refresh…. then give again. In that aspect, you’re giving 110% or more. At least, that’s how I see it. To those in the accounting industry, that point of view is likely akin to running your fingernails down a chalkboard, but I think it adds up quite nicely.
Now, for the math problem. For plain, no-nonsense addition the answer is easy. It’s the approach to just 100%
The second possible answer is 96, and it’s different…it’s creative. And that’s how you approach life and a goal of 110%. Here are the two solutions:
If you add the previous result to the next equation, you’ll get the answer of 40.
1 + 4 = 5
5 + 2 + 5 = 12
12 + 3 + 6 = 21
21 + 8 + 11 = 40
However, if you incorporate a combination of addition and multiplication, you get an answer of 96. Multiply the first two numbers, then add the first number.
1 x 4 = 4, 4 + 1 = 5
2 x 5 = 10, 10 + 2 = 12
3 x 6 = 18, 18 + 3 = 21
8 x 11 = 88, 88 + 8 = 96
Now, just in case your head is reeling from too many numbers, I’ll leave you with this:
What did the student say when the witch doctor removed his curse?
Hexagon…….