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(2): Solution (??) by Penny)

If it's the 20th anniversary and the child is 20 already, then no matter how long gestation is, conception was before the wedding.

Gestation of less than one year could, however, result in two children of the same integer age, as, for example 10 years and 1 month vs 10 years 11 months would both be counted as being age 10.  I don't think either of us took same-integer ages into account.  (There's also the possibility of twins between the elder two; I think the only thing that the existence of a youngest child rules out is the possibility of triplets.)

Posted by Charlie on 2005-03-04 18:17:49