The hostess, at her 20th wedding anniversary party, tells you that her youngest child likes her to pose this problem to guests, and she proceeds to explain: "I normally ask guests to determine the ages of my three children, given the sum and products of their ages. Since Smith gave an incorrect answer to the problem tonight and Jones gave an incorrect answer at the party two years ago, I'll let you off the hook."

Your response is "No need to tell me more, their ages are..."

(In reply to re: Solution (??) by Charlie)

Thanks, Charlie, but I think we just made different assumptions.

You didn't think a one-year-old would be posing a question like that to dinner guests, which is a sound assumption.

I assumed that only a shotgun wedding could explain a mother of a 20-year-old celebrating her 20th anniversay. I was forgetting that gestation occurs in less than a year.

I actually think your answer is the correct one.

Posted by Penny on 2005-03-04 17:20:23