All about flooble | fun stuff | Get a free chatterbox | Free JavaScript | Avatars    
perplexus dot info

Home > Just Math
Q and A (Posted on 2022-03-06) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Q(posed by a high-school student to his math teacher):
Could you tell my age after I disclose the fact that the current number of years of my existence equals the sum of digits representing my age plus their product?
A(provided after 2 minutes of pondering upon the subject): Yes, I have figured out your age, but I must tell you that if the question was posed by phone by a stranger whom I do not see I would not be able to solve this problem.

Please comment about this dialog.

See The Solution Submitted by Ady TZIDON    
Rating: 5.0000 (1 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Solution Solution | Comment 1 of 2
Let the student's age be a 2 digit number xy (concatenated).  For now, allow zero as a possible value for x to account for single digit ages.
The student's statement is represented by:
(10x + y) = x + y + x*y
9x = x*y
9 = y   (oops, did I just divide by zero?)
So far, the age can be any 2 digit number ending in 9.  Even 09 satisfies this mathematically.  But if the student's age is the single digit 9, then the statement becomes:
9 = 9 + 9 which fails.   (I guess I shouldn't have divided by zero)
So the possible ages are {19, 29, 39, etc}
Since it is given that the student is in high school, 
the only possible answer is 19.

Edited on March 6, 2022, 7:16 am
  Posted by Larry on 2022-03-06 07:13:40

Please log in:
Login:
Password:
Remember me:
Sign up! | Forgot password


Search:
Search body:
Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (14)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:
Copyright © 2002 - 2024 by Animus Pactum Consulting. All rights reserved. Privacy Information