I hope everyone is thinking about the challenge that I presented at our first meeting last week. As a reminder, here it is:

You have been hired to perform a job that lasts for 30 days, and you get to decide how much you would like to be paid by selecting one of the following two options:

• You will be given a check for $1,000 as the complete payment for 30 days of work.

• You will be given $.01 for your first day of work, $.02 for the second day, $.04 for the third day, $.08 for the fourth day, $.16 for the fifth day, $.32 for the sixth day, $.64 for the seventh day, and so on with the amount doubling every day for the entire 30 days of work.

So what will YOU do? Will you go with the first option and take a check for $1,000 or will you go with the second option? If you decide to go with the second option, how much money will you make? Can you figure out a method or pattern for solving the second option?

We’ll discuss the answer at our first meeting on January 5, so have your thoughts and solutions ready!