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Mathematical Puzzles 



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Puzzle 45 



In the illustration we have a sketch of Sir Edwyn de Tudor going to rescue his love, who was held captive by a neighbouring wicked baron.

Sir Edwyn calculated that if he rode at fifteen miles an hour he would arrive at the castle an hour too soon, while if he rode at ten miles an hour he would get there just an hour too late.

Now, it was of the first importance that he should arrive at the exact time appointed, in order that the rescue that he had planned should be a success, and the time of the tryst was five o'clock, when the captive would be taking afternoon tea.

The puzzle is to discover exactly how far Sir Edwyn de Tudor had to ride.

Sir Edwyn De Tudor. From Amusements In Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney (1917).

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Puzzle 46 



A kind old person decided to give 12 sweets to each of the adults in the town and 8 sweets to each of the children.

Of the 612 people in the town, exactly half of the adults, and exactly three quarters of the children took the sweets.

How many sweets did the kind old person have to buy?

Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone

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Puzzle 47 



A large fresh water reservoir has two types of drainage system: small pipes and large pipes.

6 large pipes, on their own, can drain the reservoir in 12 hours.

3 large pipes and 9 small pipes, at the same time, can drain the reservoir in 8 hours.

How long will 5 small pipes, on their own, take to drain the reservoir?

Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone

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Puzzle 48 



A very long time ago, at the beginning of the week, I was given some money for my birthday.

On Monday, I spent a quarter of the money on clothes.

On Tuesday, I spent one third of the remaining money on music.

On Wednesday, I spent half of the remaining money on food.

Finally, on Thursday, I spent the last £1.25 on a book.

How much birthday money did I receive?

Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone

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