Further Ways In Which Beyoncé Is Problematic
by Blair Thornburgh
1. Beyoncé has 11 more nickels than quarters. How many coins does she have if the total value of her coins is $2.65?
2. Beyoncé is 31 years old. Four years from now, she will be 10 years older than five times Blue Ivy’s age. How old is Blue Ivy’s secret surrogate mom?
3. Beyoncé is negotiating a new sponsorship deal with Pepsi. They offer her either a flat fee of a million dollars or a penny doubled every day for a month. Which should she choose?
4. The 2009 MTV Video Music Award judges said Taylor Swift had the best female video of the year. But Kanye West said Beyoncé had the best video of the year. One only lies and the other only tells the truth. Is there one question you could ask to determine the truth, or is Beyoncé a class act irrespective of her accolades? Show your work.
5. If Beyoncé leaves the Los Angeles Staples Center in a train traveling 60 miles per hour on Friday and needs to reach the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas by Saturday, but then has to return to the Staples Center for another show on Monday, does she secretly own a time-turner? Or maybe she can fly. Discuss.
Blair Thornburgh is a writer in Philadelphia.