Chapter 6, Problem 5ICA

A hungry bookworm bores through a complete set of encyclopedias consisting of n volumes stacked in numerical order on a library shelf. The bookworm starts inside the front cover of volume 1, bores from page 1 of volume 1 to the last page of the last volume, and stops inside the back cover of the last volume. Note that the bookworm starts inside the front cover of volume 1 and ends inside the back cover of volume n.

Assume that each volume has the same number of pages. For each book, assume that you know how thick the cover is and that the thickness of a front cover is equal to the thickness of a back cover; assume also that you know the total thickness of all the pages in the book. How far does the bookworm travel? How far will it travel if there are 13 volumes in the set and each book has 2 inches of pages and a 1/8-inch thick cover?