Can you solve this really funny problem?
Author: admin // Category: difficult mathematics problemsBlue eyes
Yesterday I met a colleague of mine. I know he has three sons and I asked him their age.
He answered: “The product of their ages makes 36”.
I thought: “These mathematicians are crazy!”. Then I said: “That’s simply not enough! How can I
tell their age? Tell me something more”.
He said: “You smart guy! Well, the sum of their ages makes the number of windows you can see in
that house over there”.
I thought: “These mathematicians are really crazy!”. Then I counted the windows, I thought five
minutes and said: “I cannot tell their age! Tell me something more”.
He laughed at me and said: “You are really a smart guy! Well, my eldest son has got blue eyes”.
Then I said: “I got it!” and I gave him the correct answer.
Well, what is the correct answer?
Hints
First of all, it’s not a joke; it’s a serious problem. There is no advanced mathematics involved.
However, in my opinion it’s a rather difficult problem; but the solution is nice!
One more thing: sometimes the information is not where you think it is; that’s exactly what this
problem is about. And another thing: don’t ask, I will not tell you how many those windows were…
Here are the integers that, when multiplied together, equal 36:
1, 1, 36 (sum = 38)
1, 2, 18 (21)
1, 3, 12 (16)
1, 4, 9 (14)
1, 6, 6 (13)
2, 2, 9 (13)
2, 3, 6 (11)
3, 3, 4 (10)
If the sum were anything other than 13, the solution would be apparent from the "number of windows" clue. So the sons are either 1, 6 and 6 … or … 2, 2 and 9.
The "eldest son" reference (whether it be regarding blue eyes, soccer yesterday, whatever) implies that one is distinctly older that the other two.
The answer you probably want is 2, 2 and 9 … but doesn’t take into account the possibility that one twin might be two minutes older (say) than the other. (Only in the rarest circumstances would twins come into the world simultaneously! Was this male mathematician at his sons’ births? ~lol~ )
Therefore 1, 6, and 6 *isn’t* eliminated from the options.
Case unsolved … or have I missed something? 
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July 16th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
4 3 3 idk just a poor guess
References :
July 16th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
18,6,12
References :
July 16th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Here are the integers that, when multiplied together, equal 36:
1, 1, 36 (sum = 38)
1, 2, 18 (21)
1, 3, 12 (16)
1, 4, 9 (14)
1, 6, 6 (13)
2, 2, 9 (13)
2, 3, 6 (11)
3, 3, 4 (10)
If the sum were anything other than 13, the solution would be apparent from the "number of windows" clue. So the sons are either 1, 6 and 6 … or … 2, 2 and 9.
The "eldest son" reference (whether it be regarding blue eyes, soccer yesterday, whatever) implies that one is distinctly older that the other two.
The answer you probably want is 2, 2 and 9 … but doesn’t take into account the possibility that one twin might be two minutes older (say) than the other. (Only in the rarest circumstances would twins come into the world simultaneously! Was this male mathematician at his sons’ births? ~lol~ )
Therefore 1, 6, and 6 *isn’t* eliminated from the options.
Case unsolved … or have I missed something?
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References :