Two mathematicians were walking down the street. They had not seen each other for a while, One asks the other.
" Say, how are your three kids? How old are they now?"
The other mathematicain answers.
"The product of their ages is 72. The sum of their ages is..."
He points to a number on a nearby street sign.
The first mathematician answers.
"That is not enough information for me to solve the problem!"
To which the first replies.
"You're right...my youngest daughter likes strawberry shortcake."
How old are the 3 children?
2006-09-26 02:45:06 · 6 answers · asked by runningman022003 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Math or riddle? I guess it's both. There is a solution...no one has come up with it yet.
2006-09-26 03:02:59 · update #1
The daughters are 2, 6, and 6.
The street sign includes the number 14.
The sets of numbers (2,6,6) and (3,3,8) both multiply to 72 and add to 14 . . . I believe these are the only two such sets. Thus, by providing these two bits of info (ages multiply to 72 and add to 14), we don't quite have enough info to choose.
By saying 'youngest daughter likes . . .', we assume there is a single 'youngest'. This eliminates (3,3,8) as a choice. Thus . . . (2,6,6).
The other main assumption here is that there are only daughters . . . this is based on the title of the question, not on the details. If in fact there could be a son or two, then I don't know how to solve this.
2006-09-26 07:15:15 · answer #1 · answered by golden_ar_pharazon 1 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Math? or riddle?
There might be multiple answers. An assumption is made that the youngest daughter is not one year old.
72 = 2 * 2 * 2 * 3 * 3
2 * 3 *12 = 72
2 * 4 * 9 = 72
2 * 6 * 6 = 72 (twins)
3 * 4 * 6 = 72
The single youngest daughter would eliminate:
2*2*18 (which would seem a little weird anyway) and
3*3*8.
The street sign could have 13,14,15 or 17th street or avenue. This clue is to avoid "half year ages" like 1 1/2 * 4 * 12 = 72.
If the youngest daughter likes strawberry shortcake, she is probably not 1 year old. If the strawberry shortcake reference is to the "Strawberry Shortcake" characters, then the youngest daughter is probably 3 years old, making the other daughters 4 and 6 years old.
2006-09-26 02:54:29 · answer #2 · answered by Richard 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
If she has a youngest daughter and this information is sufficient and necessary for the other girl to solve the problem then it implies that the solution with youngest twins is not the correct one instead it must be the solution with two older twins - there is only one solution that fits this. 2-6-6
2006-09-26 03:19:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
2, 4 and 9
2006-09-26 02:51:07 · answer #4 · answered by nkellingley@btinternet.com 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
possible ages:
3, 4, 6
2, 6, 6
2, 4, 9
so what road signs may add up to 13, 14, or 15?
is "strawberry shortcake" mean something where you are? it is nothing to me in Australia
2006-09-26 02:57:35 · answer #5 · answered by upf_geelong 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many answers. 3, 4, and 6 is one
2006-09-26 06:10:35 · answer #6 · answered by iron03triathlete 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋