Every letter of the alphabet is given a nonzero numerical value which need not be an integer. The value of a word is the product of the values of its letters. For example, if c=2, a=4, and t=3, then "cat" has the value 2*4*3=24.

Suppose that every pair of homophones has equal values (thus, ate=eight, implying a=igh).

Show that every letter of the alphabet has value 1.

(In reply to Homonym verification by David Shin)

I believe the only two pairs of homonyms I posted earlier that did not pass the dictionary.com test were:

appetite (the first e makes a short i sound) and apatite (the second a makes a shwa sound).

plaintiff and plaintive (as I was worried about).

So back to the drawing bored (joke!) for p and v.

 

Edit: I found a proper one for P!

prophet = profit
p = profit/prohet = fi/he = 1

I still can't find one for V.  Anyone?

Edited on January 18, 2005, 10:46 pm

Posted by nikki on 2005-01-18 22:30:24