Jack and Jill each have marble collections. The number in Jack's collection in a square number.

Jack says to Jill, "If you give me all your marbles I'll still have a square number." Jill replies, "Or, if you gave me the number in my collection you would still be left left with an even square."

What is the fewest number of marbles Jack could have?

if you consider 1 to be the square of one than the puzzle works if Jack has 25 marbles and Jill has 24
25 = 5*5
25-24=1=1*1
25+24=49=7*7

Posted by FatBoy on 2003-11-03 08:25:16