A CHARITABLE BEQUEST.
(
Money Puzzles)
A man left instructions to his executors to distribute once a year
exactly fifty-five shillings among the poor of his parish; but they were
only to continue the gift so long as they could make it in different
ways, always giving eighteenpence each to a number of women and half a
crown each to men. During how many years could the charity be
administered? Of course, by "different ways" is meant a different number
of men and women every time.
Answer:
There are seven different ways in which the money may be distributed: 5
women and 19 men, 10 women and 16 men, 15 women and 13 men, 20 women and
10 men, 25 women and 7 men, 30 women and 4 men, and 35 women and 1 man.
But the last case must not be counted, because the condition was that
there should be "men," and a single man is not men. Therefore the answer
is six years.
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