Random Puzzles 

Workings

Hint
The country spans more than one word.

Answer
Peru.

The local habitat around a railway track can be very interesting. For example, supporting the track is a sleePER, Under which you can find the lesser-spotted great weevil.

Workings

Hint
Who is in last place?

Answer
This cannot happen, you cannot overtake the person who is in last place, as there is no-one behind them!

Ovetaking = passing someone who is ahead on the same lap, this is a change of position, e.g. 4^th moves up to 3^rd.

Lapping = passing someone who is a full lap behind, this isn't a change of position, e.g. 4^th stays 4^th.

Workings

Hint
Try starting with the cube root of the number.

Answer
195 x 197 x 199.

Reasoning
Since we're after three numbers that multiply together, a good place to start is the cube root of 7,644,585, which is roughly 196.99.

Let's try dividing by the closest odd number to 196.99:

   7644585 ÷ 197 = 38805

We're now after whole divisors of 38,805, so trying either odd number either side of 197 might work.

Trying either 195 or 199 gives the answer.

Double-Checking
   195 x 197 x 199 = 7,644,585

Note
Trying the closest odd number to the cube root always works, and the other two numbers are the odd numbers either side.

Workings

Hint
A little bit of algebra might help.

Answer
64 pounds.

The head weighs 24 pounds, the body weighs 32 pounds, and the tail weighs 8 pounds.

Reasoning
The trout is made up of the head, body and tail, H, B and T.

We are told that:

    T = 8

(1) H = T + B ÷ 2

(2) B = H + T

Placing T into (1) and (2) we get:

(3) H = 8 + B ÷ 2

(4) B = H + 8

Using (4) in (3) we get:

    H = 8 + B ÷ 2

(5) H = 8 + (H + 8) ÷ 2

Multiplying (5) by 2 we get:

 2H = 16 + H + 8

 2H = 24 + H

  H = 24

Therefore, by (2):

 B = H + T

 B = 24 + 8

 B = 32

Giving:

 H = 24
 B = 32
 T = 8

And a total of 24 + 32 + 8 = 64 pounds.