Mr. R.’s World of Math

Page 1: The First Substitute...

school smallSo here’s a story you’re probably not going to believe, but it’s true. I promise you! At least I remember it happening…

It was a long time ago, when I was teaching in a school that was a bit strange, and a bit peculiar (but not nearly as peculiar and strange as the school you’re in right now!)

As I remember, it was a cold, dark morning, and I came into my classroom like I always did. Everything was perfectly normal and there was no way I could have imagined what was going to happen to me and my students that very strange day.

phone cartoonIt was during our morning meeting, when I got a phone call grapefruit cartoonin my classroom. It was from Principal Grapefruit, and he said he had to speak to me for two minutes in his office, and he was sending a substitute teacher to watch the class for the short time I’d be gone.
A second later, there was a knock on the door.
“Hi,” said a pleasant teacher, “My name is Ms. Saturnberry. Principal Grapefruit sent me to watch your class.”
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Saturnberry,” I said.
I asked my students to welcome Ms. Saturnberry, and told them they should be on their best behavior while I was gone.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” 
11-30 Clock“Oh, take your time,” said Ms. Saturnberry with a pleasant smile.
I pulled the door closed and walked to Principal Grapefruit’s office. When I got there, I asked him what was going on.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Well, you called me to your office to discuss something important.”
“Are you feeling OK, Mr. R.,” he asked, “I didn’t call you or anyone else today.”
“Yes you did, and you sent Ms. Saturnberry, the substitute to watch my class.”
“Ms. Who-dee-berry?” asked Principal Grapefruit, “I didn’t send anyone to your classroom.”
“There was a woman, Ms. Saturnberry. The new substitute?”
Suddenly, I realized something was very wrong, and a second later, I was running back towards my classroom.

My heart was beating millions of times a minute! If it beat 2,567,989 + 5,678,989 in the first minute, and the same amount in the second minute, how many times had it beat in total?

Enter the number of heartbeats here (no commas please):

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