For many years now Baron Günnstefen has gone to a lake every day to hunt ducks. Every day starting on August 1, 2000, he says to his cook: "Today I shot more ducks than two days ago, but fewer than a week ago." For how many days can the baron say this?

(Assume he is never lying.)

The problem states:

" 'Today I shot more ducks than two days ago, but fewer than a week ago.' For how many days can the baron say this?"

It does NOT state "For how many CONSECUTIVE days can the baron say this?"

So if he shot 100 ducks on Tuesday, 7/25/2000, and zero ducks on 7/26/2000 - 7/31/2000, he can make his fowl assertion on 99 consecutive Tuesdays, by shooting zero ducks on every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday following 7/25/2000, and shooting 99 ducks on Tuesday, 8/1/2000, 98 ducks on Tuesday, 8/8/2000, 97 ducks on Tuesday, 8/15/2000, etc.

(All my family members tell me I missed my calling: I should have been a lawyer).
Edited on November 9, 2003, 1:45 am

Posted by Dan on 2003-11-09 01:34:55