Yura's Water Purchase Dilemma: A Mathematical Analysis

Yura needs to buy 13 bottles of water from a store. However, he can only bring 3 bottles of water on each trip. The question at hand is, what is the minimum number of trips Yura needs to make to fulfill his requirement?

Approach to Solving the Problem

The standard approach to solving this problem involves division. Specifically, we use the division with remainder method to determine the minimum number of trips necessitated. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the solution:

Divide the total number of bottles (13) by the number of bottles per trip (3). This will give us the quotient and the remainder. Compute the quotient and remainder: (frac{13}{3} 4) with a remainder of (1). Interpret the result: The quotient (4) represents the number of full trips Yura can make, carrying 3 bottles each time. The remainder (1) indicates that Yura will need one additional trip to carry the remaining bottle. Add the remainder to the quotient: (4 1 5). This sum represents the minimum number of trips Yura needs to complete the purchase of 13 bottles.

To visualize this, consider the trips Yura makes:

4 full trips, each carrying 3 bottles (12 bottles total). 1 final trip to carry the remaining 1 bottle.

Thus, Yura must take at least 5 trips to get all 13 bottles.

Alternative Approaches and Optimization

Some might argue that making the fifth trip just to carry one bottle is unnecessary and inefficient. Indeed, if Yura were to plan more strategically, he could consider the following:

Yura made one trip and bought only 3 bottles, realizing he couldn't get 14 bottles in total. This is an illustration of an inefficient plan. If he were to use a large container capable of holding all 13 bottles in one trip, he could significantly reduce the number of trips while ensuring he meets his goal. With a suitably large carrying capacity, such as a large school bag or a strengthened backpack, Yura could mitigate the need for multiple trips and potentially save time.

Conclusion

The mathematical solution based on division with remainder provides a clear and concise answer: Yura must take at least 5 trips to purchase all 13 bottles of water. However, practical strategies can be employed to optimize the number of trips. A single substantial carrier can minimize the effort and time required, exemplifying the importance of planning and resource utilization.

For those intrigued by practical solutions and efficient planning, contemplating alternative methods can be enlightening. Yura’s experience serves as a reminder that careful thought and planning can significantly enhance one’s efficiency, whether in purchasing water bottles or any other repetitive task.