Alan and Bob are trying to figure out two numbers. They know that both numbers are integers between 1 and 100 (but not 1 or 100). Alan knows the product of the numbers, and Bob knows the sum. Their conversation goes as follows:

Alan: I can't tell what the two numbers are.
Bob: I knew you couldn't.
Alan: Ok, now I know the numbers.
Bob: Now I know them, too.

What are the two numbers?

I 1 is eliminated as one of the numbers, then my original analysis stands, with one proviso. The third factor of the product need not be 2, it can be a power of 2, as long as all the factors of that number stay together when assigning the possibilities for the original numbers. [In other words the original numbers are either p(1) and p(2)*(2^n) or p(1)*(2^n) and p(2)]

Posted by TomM on 2002-10-15 17:28:00