Math geeks: Jenga game problem

[moonman239]

Suppose I have 52 Jenga blocks. I stack one block on top of two blocks, then stack two blocks on top of that one block, then stack one block on top of those blocks, then I stack two more blocks on top of those. I keep doing this until I don't have enough blocks to create another story. How many stories tall is my structure?

Hint: Set up a series.

 

[mobilehaathi]

34

Why set up a series?

You start with two block at the base. Each pair of "floors" consists of three blocks.

52 / 3 = 17 pairs of floors with 1 block left over

17*2 = 34 floors

The 34th floor is a single block, so you can't place the 52nd block on the tower.

Why do you think this is challenging?

 

[johnson102]

I'm confused as well. I got 34 straight away then wondered if there was a trick I wasn't seeing, but after rereading the question I can't see any other route on the question to take.