Today from Bedtime Math: Running Your Mouth

Even without scientists telling us, we're pretty sure it isn't healthy to sit in front of a screen watching videos for hours and hours. But sometimes you want to watch more shows than you can fit into the time you're allowed. It looks like grown-ups have this same problem, so some technology whizzes invented a way to watch videos faster. These software programs let you play any video 2 or 3 times faster, or even 5 times faster. In the old days if you sped up a video, the sounds turned high and squeaky and the people talking in it sounded like chipmunks. But the new technology doesn't do that - everything sounds just right. Your brain can still understand it, and you can watch the video in a lot less time! Normally people speak about 150 words in a minute, so doubling or tripling that speed adds up to a lot of talking in a short time.

Now here's today's math~  

Wee ones: How many screens do you have at home: TVs, computer monitors, smartphones, iPads, etc.? Count them up!

Little kids: If you watch 2 cartoons that take 10 minutes each, how much of your "screen time" have you used up?  Bonus: If you use hyperspeed playback to double the speed, they will take only 1/2 the time. Now how long do they take to watch? 

Big kids: If you normally say 150 words per minute and you teach yourself to talk 3 times as fast, now how fast can you talk?  Bonus: The world record for a live person talking at hyperspeed is 637 words a minute! How much faster is that than your triple-speed?

Answers:

Wee ones: Different for everyone...

Little kids: 20 minutes.  Bonus: 10 minutes - the time it usually takes for just 1 cartoon!

Big kids: 450 words per minute.  Bonus: 187 words per minute more.