A simple brain-teaser, or how we get trapped by too much information

Eaton Rapids Joe is walking to the Quality Dairy in Eaton Rapids to buy a six-pack of beer. The Quality Dairy is six miles from Hacienda ERJ and Joe walks at a rate of three miles per hour.

He is walking with his German Shepherd, Zeus. Zeus trots at 12 miles per hour. Zeus knows that he will get a treat at the Quality Dairy when Joe arrives so trots on ahead of him. Reaching the store, Zeus turns around and trots back to Joe.

This pattern repeats the entire time Joe is walking to the store. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth.

How far does Zeus travel before he gets his treat?

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V

Twenty-four miles, of course. It takes Joe two hours to walk to the Quality Dairy and every dumb blonde knows that distance is rate*time. Twelve miles per hour times two hours equals twenty-four miles. Whatsamatta, did you over-think the problem?