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

Home > Just Math
Incredible, but solvable (Posted on 2015-10-30) Difficulty: 4 of 5
A puzzle by Princeton mathematician John Horton Conway:

Last night I sat behind two wizards on a bus, and overheard the following:

A: I have a positive integral number of children, whose ages are positive integers, the sum of which is the number of this bus, while the product is my own age.
B: How interesting! Perhaps if you told me your age and the number of your children, I could work out their individual ages?
A: No.
B: Aha! AT LAST I know how old you are!

Rem: Taking in account the fatherhood limitations, this is uniquely solvable.

No Solution Yet Submitted by Ady TZIDON    
No Rating

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Puzzle AnswerK Sengupta2023-08-30 01:17:15
No SubjectSat Lat2023-08-29 15:10:25
Some Thoughtsre(2): @ Charlie- an explanation and a questionAdy TZIDON2015-11-01 09:15:21
re: @ Charlie- an explanation and a questionCharlie2015-10-31 21:23:38
Question@ Charlie- an explanation and a questionAdy TZIDON2015-10-31 10:22:32
re(5): comp. aided solution -- HINTCharlie2015-10-31 08:07:16
re(4): comp. aided solution -- HINTCharlie2015-10-31 07:59:05
Hints/Tipsre(3): comp. aided solution -- HINTAdy TZIDON2015-10-31 04:16:13
Some ThoughtsFatherhood limitationsDej Mar2015-10-31 00:45:00
re: computer aided solutionSteve Herman2015-10-30 17:09:11
Solutionre(2): computer aided solution -- continuedCharlie2015-10-30 15:28:09
Solutionre: computer aided solution -- continuedCharlie2015-10-30 15:26:16
Solutioncomputer aided solutionCharlie2015-10-30 15:23:50
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 (7)
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