Ken's blog

Fred and Mary were trying to work out how to give five gifts to their three boys for Christmas.

The kids, Henry, Mark and Joe, had told them they wanted to receive gifts more or less at random this year to see how the gifts would be distributed.

“We have five gifts to give to three children. How are we going to do this, Mary? There are so many possibilities it makes my brain spin,” said Fred in exasperation.

“Well, Fred, we have to make sure they all get at least one gift, so that makes it easier than the way you are thinking of, doesn’t it,” Mary said reassuringly.

“You’re right, Mary. The number of ways of giving the gifts so that our kids might not receive even one gift is quite large,” said Fred.

“Do it my way and the matter becomes more simple,” said Mary.

So Mary and Fred distributed the gifts as she suggested.

If they distributed the gifts Fred’s way what would be the probability that one or more of the kids received no gift?

A crew of pirates robbed a Spanish galleon off the coast of Crooked Island. Among the booty they found a chest full of gold coins.

The captain was killed during the battle, so to ensure a fair share the crew decided to immediately divide up the gold coins on a nearby uninhabited island before a new captain was chosen.

The 17 surviving pirates began distributing the coins into 17 piles on the beach, but three coins were left over. No agreement could be reached as to who would get the three coins, and, after a large amount of rum was consumed, fighting followed in which one of the pirates was killed.

The pirates then divided up the coins into new piles, but, alas, this time there were as much as ten coins left. With further violent discussions, more rum and fighting another pirate was killed.

The remaining crew set about to divide the gold coins of the chest into equal piles and this time they succeeded in obtaining an equal distribution, which, after opening another barrel of rum, they celebrated until they were spread about on the beach in a drunken stupor.

It turns out they had been observed by a small Dutch crew which had been marooned on the island after a terrible storm. This crew carried away the booty and sailed off while the pirates were sleeping off the rum.

Can you work out what the least number of gold coins in the treasure chest was?

Jerry and Slick were sitting at a bar drinking beer and watching a championship football game being televised on the huge wall screen, a bowl of peanuts close at hand.

“Hey Jerry, want to play a game?” said Slick, taking a large sip of his cold beer.

“Sure, what’s it all about,” replied Jerry, munching on some peanuts while eyeing the curvy waitress.

“It’s really simple. I throw this die and if you throw a higher number, you win one point, otherwise I get the point,” explained Slick as he placed a large red die between the beer glasses on the green felt-covered bar counter.

“Let’s try it first, Slick,” said Jerry with a suspicious look.

Slick threw the red die and got a two. Then Jerry threw and got a three.

“Hmm, seems like a good game,” said Jerry with a sly smile.

“Glad you like it, Jerry. How about we play twenty rounds, or until the football game is over – point loser pays the bill?” said Slick.

“Fine by me,” replied Jerry, giving a loud cheer for a goal just made and snatching a handful of peanuts from the bowl.

Slick ordered some fast food and they rolled the die until the end of the football game.

Who do you figure paid the bill, and why?

Jack asked Fred “How old are your family members?”

“Ten years ago my father was twice my age and my mother’s age was a perfect number,” said Fred.

“That helps with your mother’s age, but I need more information about your father,” said Jack.

“No problem. The square of my father’s age is equal to the year he was born,” replied Fred.

“Ok, got it,” said Jack. “What about your brother and sister?”

“Ten years ago my sister Lara was the same age as my brother Nick is now. In two years my father will be half the age his father was when he died,” said Fred.

“Very interesting,” said Jack.

“My great grandfather told my father he would be reborn in a year equal to one quarter of a perfect number, which is when Nick’s turtle – that my great grandfather gave to my father newly hatched ten years before he died – will probably die,” said Fred.

“How nice, any more info?” said Jack.

“My sister Lara’s age is a divisor of the cross sum of the turtle’s present age,” said Fred.

“And what about your grandfather’s age?” asked Jack.

“When my father was born my grandfather was as old as half the sum of my mother’s age and that of my father’s ten years ago,” said Fred.

“Gee thanks, I’ll go and think about it,” said Jack and walked off.

What do you say are the ages of these family members, including the turtle.