Puzzle 197
I recently asked a friend of mine to buy me some ribbon for my latest embroidery project.
He went to the haberdashery shop for a particular length, but he accidentally interchanged the feet and inches.
When I measured the purchased ribbon, I only had 30% of the length I required!
How much ribbon did I originally ask for?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Remember that there are 12 inches in a foot.
Answer
I asked for 9 foot 2 inches (110 inches) and my friend brought me 2 foot 9 inches (33 inches).
Reasoning
I asked my friend to buy me A feet and B inches, which is a total of 12A + B inches.
He accidentally bought me B feet and A inches, which is 12B + A inches.
We know that 12B + A is actually only 30% of what I wanted, so:
12B + A = 0.3 x (12A + B)
Multiply throughout by 10:
120B + 10A = 3 x (12A + B)
120B + 10A = 36A + 3B
117B = 26A
B = 26A ÷ 117
Don't forget that A and B can only be integers, and between 0 and 11.
Since 26 x A has to be at least 117, the lowest possible value for A is 5. We can check the remaining possibilities.
5 x 26 = 130
6 x 26 = 156
7 x 26 = 182
8 x 26 = 208
9 x 26 = 234 (*)
10 x 26 = 260
11 x 26 = 286
The only number wholly divisible by 117 is 234, which means that A = 9, and B = 2.
So, I originally asked for 9 feet 2 inches.
Puzzle 198
A donkey is tied to a rope 6 feet long and there is a bale of hay 8 feet away.
How can the donkey get to the hay if he does not bite or undo the rope?
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Hint
Sometimes the easiest explanations are the best.
Answer
The other end of the rope is not tied to anything!
Puzzle 199
What is the smallest integer which...
...when multiplied by 3 gives a number consisting of only 4's?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
Try working backwards.
Answer
148.
Reasoning
A number that is divisible by 3 has digits that add up to a number that is also divisible by 3 (for example, 123 is divisible by 3).
So we can look for the first number where 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + ... is divisible by 3, which is 4 + 4 + 4, and 444 ÷ 3 = 148.
Alternative Reasoning
Let's try the possible answers in order:
4 ÷ 3 = 1.3333
44 ÷ 3 = 14.6666
444 ÷ 3 = 148
Double-Checking
148 x 3 = 444.
Puzzle 200
Can you find a word that means perimeter...
...and by adding a letter A another word is formed that means a lodger?
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Hint
The word starts with B.
Answer
Border becomes boarder.
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