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Outline Mathematics
Word Problems

Five Siblings

Here's a problem to tackle:

 

"So you've got five kids, with one girl in the middle," said Alan. "How old is she?"

Clem smiled. "Figure it out yourself," he replied. "They're all spaced two years apart, and the youngest boy is just half as old as the oldest."

How old was the girl?

Solution


Copyright © 1996-2009 Alexander Bogomolny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solution

 

"So you've got five kids, with one girl in the middle," said Alan. "How old is she?"

Clem smiled. "Figure it out yourself," he replied. "They're all spaced two years apart, and the youngest boy is just half as old as the oldest."

How old was the girl?

(In the applet below, click on the underlined omitted expressions. See what happens.)

// formulations

This applet requires Sun's Java VM 2 which your browser may perceive as a popup. Which it is not. If you want to see the applet work, visit Sun's website at http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp, download and install Java VM and enjoy the applet.


Do not forget to check your solution.

References

  1. J. A. H. Hunter, Entertaining Mathematical Teasers, Dover Publications, 1983

Copyright © 1996-2009 Alexander Bogomolny

34384495Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

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