Brain Teasers
Mixed up Check
Slick Sammy once cashed a check at the bank. He had spent $0.68 before he realised that the bank clerk had made a mistake. He had transposed the dollars with the cents. Sammy now had exactly 2 times the value of the original check. What was the value of the original check?
Answer
The original check was for $10.21Hide Answer Show Answer
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Come on, tell me what you think. I am of the opinion that the Comment box is way under used. If you like it great, If you hate it, tell me. So I can fix the problem in future puzzles. Personally I think more feedback both good and bad can only help the website produce more fun for all. Even a little trash talkin' can be fun.
wow... umm.... ya... don't know where to start.. but ya.. i lost my self with this one... maybe cuz i'm tired but ya... good one... even thought i like your rebus ones better ;)
How on earth did you get that many points????
Transposed? What?
wouldnt that be impossible because if u have 10.21 then u couldnt double a number to get that. and how in the world did u get 10.21?
Apr 30, 2002
I don't get this one at all. I tried to work it out on a calculator, but I can't. Can someone please explain?
Is there a math solution to this or does one just try hap-hazardly to find the amount?
Transposed: to swap position or have out of order. This is not an algebraic equation if that is what your asking, It it where the problem would be written something like this.
A.B - .68 = B.A Solve for A and B This is more of a process of elimination problem. It takes you a while to figure down the differences
A.B - .68 = B.A Solve for A and B This is more of a process of elimination problem. It takes you a while to figure down the differences
I tell ya, before you try to figure out the answer you better figure out in which language the puzzle is written.
cool.
100a+b - 68 = 2(100b + a)
Is the algebraic eqn, where:
a is the cents to start with, or the dollars the clerk wrote.
b is the dollars to start with, or the cents the clerk wrote
If you are trying to solve this in a computer progran, its quite easy, but if you were trying to do this by hand ... phew! If people can't understand english I can only point them to here: http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/
Is the algebraic eqn, where:
a is the cents to start with, or the dollars the clerk wrote.
b is the dollars to start with, or the cents the clerk wrote
If you are trying to solve this in a computer progran, its quite easy, but if you were trying to do this by hand ... phew! If people can't understand english I can only point them to here: http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/
Clever yeah, but you really need a 2nd equation
I think it is the best Math puzzle I have seen so far. Cathalmcabe is right with the equation but you don't need a computer. One secret not mentioned so far is that the $ and c (a and b) have to be whole numbers.
These are called Diophantine equations. It works like this. Make a the subject of the equation thus: a=(199y+698. Now begin with y = 1 and y=2. we find x=2+71/98 and x=4+74/98.
The fractional part advances by 3/98 each time and it has to get to 98/98 in order for x to be a whole number. It has to advance by 27/98 from when y = 1 so thats 9 extra. Hence y=10 and x = 21!
The really,really really cool part of this problem is that if you kept increasing y, you would come to a second answer which would also solve cathalmcabes equation. But wait!
Rayneeday is correct! There is only one right answer. Why doesn't the next answer to cathalmcabes equation also solve the puzzle?
These are called Diophantine equations. It works like this. Make a the subject of the equation thus: a=(199y+698. Now begin with y = 1 and y=2. we find x=2+71/98 and x=4+74/98.
The fractional part advances by 3/98 each time and it has to get to 98/98 in order for x to be a whole number. It has to advance by 27/98 from when y = 1 so thats 9 extra. Hence y=10 and x = 21!
The really,really really cool part of this problem is that if you kept increasing y, you would come to a second answer which would also solve cathalmcabes equation. But wait!
Rayneeday is correct! There is only one right answer. Why doesn't the next answer to cathalmcabes equation also solve the puzzle?
I didnt even know where to begin with this. After reading the whole explaination, I still dont know where to start with that. Hehehe. Nice teaser.
To answer Jimbo's question, you'd have to advance y by 98 more in order to end with a fraction that converts to a whole number. That'd result in y=108, which can't be because it wouldn't allow a transposition with a two digit cents value. Very good teaser, and some very good comments too! Top rated!
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