Challenge Question #9
"If a female manatee is born in 1997, what is the earliest year that she could bear her third calf, assuming that no twins are born?"

From: PENNSYLVANIA
The earliest year a male and female manatee born in 1997 could have their third calf would be 2009. (Andrew, grade 4)
Audrey Nolte, Librarian
Richland Elementary School
500 Fairview Avenue
Quakertown, PA l8951-2899
Audrey Nolte (anolte@bucksnet.bciu.k12.pa.us)

From: PENNSYLVANIA
Question: "If a male and female manatee are born in l997, and they pair up and mate over the years, what is the earliest year that they would have been able to have their third calf, assuming that no twins were born?" Answer: The earliest year would be 2013 in the month of March. The reasons for this would be because the females aren't sexually mature until they are five and the males aren't sexually mature until they are 9. Plus they have to wait at the least 2 years before they have another baby manatee.
Krista Embick
Ms. Heilman
7th grade
(userid@oak.kcsd.k12.pa.us)

From: VERMONT
The earliest the manatee could get pregnant would be in 5 years, which would be in the year 2002. She would have 13 month pregnancy which would mean her first calf would be born in the year 2003. Then two more years before she could pregnant and 13 months to have a calf puts the time to 2006. By the year 2009 she could be having her third calf.
Ferrisburgh Central School - Ferrisburgh, VT
Fourth Graders - Craig, Turner, David and Andrea
Linda Thurber (lthurfer@pop.k12.vt.us)

From: (fiatis@ix.netcom.com)
If a male and female manatee are born in 1997, and they pair up and mate over the years, the earliest year they would have been able to have their third calf, assuming no twins were born would be the year 2010!
Mitch Smigiel