What's Eating Spencer? - February 28

Last time, Larry Redding dropped out at $100,000, while Susan Gargiulo, stuck at $10,000, copied Spencer's paper on this question: "True or false: Stratus clouds are typically at a higher altitude than cirrus clouds." Correct answer was false. For $10,000, what did Spencer write?

"False"! She's got $10,000! But now she's out of help.

Next is the milestone...

3rd Grade Astronomy	$25,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Of the following, which kind of star is the hottest? a) Blue giant b) Red dwarf c) Regular yellow star

Or she can walk away with $10,000. Susan thinks it's a blue giant. She's locking it in.... Correct for $25,000!

4th Grade Math	$50,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
How many sides does a rhombus have?

Nicholas is in the crowd hoping she gets this... She takes the freeball on 10 sides.

Nicholas is right. Choked on four. So she drops out at $25,000.

Time for a new student, an accountant from Americana Elementary in Glendale Heights, IL, PHILIP SCHRAEDER. He was a grade A student, but always got in trouble.

First student to help out is Laura in the back.

1st Grade Animal Science	$1,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
True or false: Komodo dragons are extinct.

Laura is locked in. Philip goes with FALSE. He loves animals. Correct... false!

1st Grade Earth Science	$2,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
In the Northern Hemisphere, summer ends in which month?

Laura's locked. Philip goes with "around August or September", with all the confidence of "a turkey on the second week in November". Philip PEEKS. "September." He could go with September and save himself a save here...

But he goes with September... Correct for $2000!

Switch! Next up, it's Jacob.

Next question...

2nd Grade World Geography	$5,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
After China, what country has the biggest population?

Philip thinks that the second-best is India. He locks it in... Correct... India!

Meanwhile, we have a message from mom... and her former 3rd grade teacher, wishing them good luck.

Next...

2nd Grade Astronomy	$10,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
Which planet is typically the brightest in the night sky?

Philip's going to go with either Venus or Mars. He goes with Mars. It's locked. He can't change it.

Should've went with your gut, because he is wrong. Jacob saves with Venus!

Three best friends watch over. New classmate... Spen-CER!

3rd Grade Social Studies	$25,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
An amendment to the US Constitution must be ratified by what fraction of the states? a) 2/3 b) 3/4 c) All

Without so much as a how-do-you-do, Spencer is locked. Philip is locked as well. With B. Spencer says ... B as well. They're both right!

4th Grade US History	$50,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
In what year was Abraham Lincoln first elected US President?

Philip's trying to develop a point... He goes with 1860. He's either really dumb or a fantabulous actor. Spencer is right... with ... 1... 8... 6... 0. And Philip has $50,000 toward... a month in the Great Barrier Reef.

New classmate! Alana, come on up.

3rd Grade Math	$100,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
A decagon has how many sides?

"I am gonna win $100,000." Philip knows it. He goes with 10 sides. Last person who said that was wrong. Philip... is right for $100,000!

4th Grade Measurements	$175,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
How many cups are in five and a half gallons?

Sixteen times five ... is 80. Sixteen times 5.5... is 88, which is literally at his lips. He's recalculating... He's going with that. 88 cups. Alana... is wrong. Philip is right for $175,000!

Time to bring Kyle up for one final round of questions.

5th Grade Earth Science	$300,000	PEEK	COPY	SAVE
What geologic era are we in right now?

Kyle is locked... Philip has no idea. And $175,000 is a lot to ride on a fifth-grader. Kyle... is not confident with his answer. That said, Philip is dropping out with $175,000.

Correct: Cenozoic.

Kyle ... was right. Philip would've had $300,000, but instead, $175,000 is what he comes out with. Not bad for not being smarter than a 5th grader.

New student next week. Until then, class dismissed...