Hint
Does the number of adults and children matter?
Answer
3,672.
Reasoning
The actual number of adults and children doesn't actually matter.
If all of the people were adults, then half of them (306) would be given 12 sweets:
306 x 12 = 3672
If all of the people were children, then three quarters of them (459) would be given 8 sweets:
459 x 8 = 3672
If there were 512 adults (so 256 would get 12 sweets = 3072) and 100 children (so 75 would get 8 sweets = 600):
256 x 12 + 75 x 8 = 3672
We can change the numbers of adults and children, but it doesn't change the answer.
The reason for this lies in the fact that 1/2 adults x 12 sweets = 3/4 children x 8 sweets (both are 6).
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Puzzle 14
The local CD shop operates an unusual discount policy. The discount on the next purchase is worked out on the current purchase in the following way: for every whole pound spent you get 0.5% discount on the next purchase. For example, if you purchased £8.99 on the first purchase, you would then get a 4% discount on the next purchase and so on. You can make as many purchases as necessary.
You need to buy 7 CDs, costing, £11.50, £12.00, £12.00, £12.50, £13.00, £13.00 and £14.50. What is the cheapest method of buying them?
Answer
Purchase 1: £11.50, £12.00, £12.00, £12.50 = £48.00 (which gives a 24% discount on the next purchase). Purchase 2: £13.00, £13.00, £14.50 = £40.50 minus 24% discount = £30.78. For a total cost of £78.78.
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Puzzle 15
By changing the third letter of each of the words below, can you make another valid word?
You have to change each word such that the third letters will reveal a ten-letter word when read downwards.
Therefore, what now reads 'krzsaprokg' will be a real word. bakecuremazepestneatropeportfoodpokebugs
The legendary BrainBashers calendar had a recent bug. Here is a listing showing the number of days in each month:
January 107
February 68
March 135
April 15
May 133
June 104
July 104
August 16
September ?
Take the first letter of the month, and find its position in the alphabet: S = 19.
Then take the number of letters in the month: September = 9.
January 10 7
February 6 8
March 13 5
April 1 5
May 13 3
June 10 4
July 10 4
August 1 6
September 19 9
