Page 30 - Discover Fall 2021

Gremmie’s
Gremmie’s

Pages
Pages

Edited by Gerald Muus

Here is last issue’s brain puzzle:

Grandpa is talking to someone whom he just met. He decides to
have a little fun with his new friends, so he offers this riddle:

“My grandson is about as many days as my son is weeks, and my
grandson is as many months as I am in years. My grandson, my son and I
together are 140 years. Can you tell me my age in years?”

“This problem is conveniently solved by writing down the necessary
equations. Note that there are 12 months in a year, 52 weeks in a year, and
365 days in a year.

Let m be my age in years. If s is my son’s age in years, then my son is 52s
weeks old. If g is my grandson’s age in years, then my grandson is 365g
days old. Thus,

365g = 52s.

Since my grandson is 12g months old,

12g = m.

Since my grandson, my son and I together are 140 years,

g + s + m = 140.
The above system of 3 equations in 3 unknowns (g, s and m) can be solved
as follows.

m / 12 + 365 m / (52 × 12) + m = 140 or
Our winner, with the first
52 m + 365 m + 624 m = 624 × 140 or
correct answer, is Lake
m = 624 × 140 / 1041 = 84.
resident, Brian Godfrey!
So, I am 84 years old.”

28 Discover Smith Mountain Lake FALL 2021