Puzzle 501
As the auditor for my local theme park, I noticed that on Saturday there were 4,296 children and 2,143 adults and the takings were £98,718.
However, on Sunday, there were 5,146 children and 2,807 adults and the takings were £122,570.
How much were the children's tickets and adult's tickets?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
This is quite a tricky puzzle, and knowledge of algebra would certainly help.
Answer
The children tickets were £14, and the adult tickets were £18.
Reasoning
There are a number of methods for solving this problem, including:
Using a spreadsheet.
Using a computer program.
Using the intersection of lines on a graph.
Using an online equation solver.
Solving simultaneous equations using algebra.
Solving simultaneous equations using inverse matrices.
Here is my solution using simultaneous equations and algebra.
First construct two algebraic equations, where 'c' is the number of children, and 'a' is the number of adults:
[1] 4296c + 2143a = 98718
[2] 5146c + 2807a = 122570
To make the number in front of 'c' the same on both, we multiply [1] by 5146 and [2] by 4296 to give:
[3] 22107216c + 11027878a = 508002828
[4] 22107216c + 12058872a = 526560720
Now we can do [4] – [3] to give:
1030994a = 18557892
Divide throughout by 1030994 so that:
a = 18
Substituting a = 18 in [1] will give:
4296c + 2143 x 18 = 98718
4296c + 38574 = 98718
4296c = 60144
c = 14
Double-Checking
c = 14 and a = 18
4,296 x 14 + 2,143 x 18 = 98,718
and
5,146 x 14 + 2,807 x 18 = 122,570
Puzzle 502
Which are there more of:
...rolls in a dozen baker's dozen
or
...hours in a week?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
A baker's dozen is 13.
Answer
Hours in a week.
Reasoning
A dozen is usually 12, but a baker's dozen is usually 13.
So a dozen (12) baker's dozen (13) = 12 x 13 = 156.
There are 24 hours in a day, and 7 days in a week.
So there are 24 x 7 hours in a week = 168.
Puzzle 503
If a farmer buys chicken feed for 57c per tonne, pig feed for $1.52 per tonne and cattle feed for 43c per tonne. The feed can only be purchased by the tonne, and part tonnes aren't sold.
How much of each would he have if they had 100 tonnes for $100?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Answer
49 tonnes of chicken feed, 46 tonnes of pig feed and 5 tonnes of cattle feed.
Puzzle 504
What number comes next in this sequence:
986888
724864
143224
==??==
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The answer involves multiplication (for example, 9 x 8 = 72).
Answer
468.
Reasoning
If we split each line in the following way:
98 68 88
72 48 64
14 32 24
Each new line is generated by multiplying the digits two at a time and writing the result below.
For example, 9 x 8 = 72, so 72 appears directly below 98.
And 7 x 2 = 14, so 14 appears directly below 72.
Double-Checking
9 x 8 = 72 and 7 x 2 = 14.
6 x 8 = 48 and 4 x 8 = 32.
8 x 8 = 64 and 6 x 4 = 24.
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