The Square Estate
Sunday, May 26th, 2019As Jack entered the Blue Swan café that, as usual, was filled with the most enticing coffee aromas wafting among the many occupied tables, he saw Jill sitting by a window fixedly peering at a manuscript.
“What are you studying so intently, Jill?” asked Jack. “Looks like your life depended on it.”
“Well, you may be right. It’s my great uncle Barnaby’s will. Looks like I may have inherited a large property in Australia, where my great uncle made a great fortune in gold in Kalgoorlie.”
“What’s the ‘may’ all about?” asked Jack, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, in his will, my great uncle Barnaby stipulates that I work out the exact area of the land. He says this is for the purpose of demonstrating my ability to deal with a challenge. Have a look,” said Jill, holding up a page for Jack to read:
My dearest Jill, the area is exactly ABCC4DD square furlongs of prime mineral land.
Should you accept and sign my bequest, you are to build an estate perfectly and integrally centered in the land area, said area being 29,929 square furlongs.
A requisite for signing a legal deed is your accurate statement of the land area to the advocate.
Your eternally affectionate great uncle Barnaby.
“Wow, that’s as big as a small country,” said Jack removing his hat, “and in a gold zone!! Need a hand?”
“Well, you could help me to work out how much this area is, then we’ll talk,” said Jill glumly, “I’ve been here for hours figuring, but see neither head nor tail of it, and I have to appear at the advocate’s tomorrow at 8 am, or default.”
While Jill looked desolately dumbfounded, staring out the window, Jack ordered two cappuccinos and set to work on the problem with a calculator, notepad and a pen.
What would you say is the exact figure of the land area Jill may inherit?