Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/617

 Popular Science Monthly

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���Juggling the Digits ''T^HE schoolmistress set a \ ery pretty X problem in simple addition for her class when she said, "I want you to arrange th^ digits 1,2,3,4,5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and o in a sum which will total 191 6. The use of frac- tions, proper or improper, is per- missible so long as the sum total, when finished, will be exactly 1916."

Can you juggle the digits into the de- sired arrangement?

How Old Was Jimmie ?

OX registration day in the public schools Jimmie Jones, brother of the famous Ann, smoothed down his hair and looked somewhat (juizzically at the teacheriwhen she asked him how old he was. Finally he replied:

"When I was born my sister was one- fourth the age of mother; sister is now one-third as old as father and I am one- fourth of mother's age. In four years I shall be one-fourth as (jld as father."

How old was Jimmie Jones?

Dividing the Farm

FOUR heirs to a [)iece of land formed like the accompanying outline of the letter T ,

��brought their plans to a sur- veyor's office for instructions in carrying out pro- x'isionsof the will, which were that each heir was to receive a piece of land of a luiiform shape and si/e. The surveyor gave them the startling information that it was im- possible to divide the actual land accord- ing to the terms of the will, but that he could divide the i)aj)er plan of the proper- ty so that it would conform to the terms, that is, he could cut the diagram intcj four pieces of the same shape and size. Can y(iu show how he accomplished this task?

���On the African Firing Line

THE Zulu Chief found a cocoanut and threw it at the monkey. Said the monkey as he threw two in re- turn, "I can't catch but I am great on the pitch."

Every time the Zulu threw one cocoanut the monkey tossed back two.

Since all the cocoanuts used in the engagement can be seen in the pic- ture, who can tell just how many cocoa- nuts the Zulu had thrown when the artist snapshot him?

Answers to March Puzzles THE PRESIDENTIAL PUZZLE Candidate D jumps to square 7, re- moving man A; E jumps to square 8, removing B; C jumps to square 4, re- moving E and C again jumps to 10, re- moving D ; F then jumps over C and lands in the White House on square 5.

PUZZLING KUGELSPIEL Analysis will show that the first player must knock one pin from the 8 group, leaving groups of 7, 3, 4. He will then be able in successive plays to leave the following winning positions against his opponent: (2, 4, 6) (i, 4, 5) (i, 2, 3) (i, I , I ) or the doubles (4, 4) (3, 3) (2, 2).

THE COST OF A VILLA

The Smiths' new home cost $2,253. The paper-hanger's bill was $148; the painter's, $230; the plumber's, $260; the mason's, $420, and the carpenter's, $444, a total of $1 502. The lot cost $75 1.

AN ELEPHANT ON HIS HANDS The data of that unconsummated ele- phant deal reveals the fact that the would-be seller asked five rupees for his animal, and that the prospective buyer's best offer was less than nothing, for he asked a bonus of three rupees to take the beast, which you see would be eight rupees less than asking price. Then the seller came down twent\- per cent to four rupees, but there remained a differ- ence of seven rupees between them and no deal.

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