DAY 244
If gumdrops come in 5 colors, what is the smallest number of asorted gumdrops a child would have to buy to be sure of getting at least three of the same color?

Answer:

11............6 would assure getting two of the same color. 5 more would assure three of the same color.

DAY 243
How much would it cost to have a log cut into four pieces if each cut cost $5?

Answer:

$15..............To cut a log into four pieces requires only three cuts.

DAY 242

IT'S IN THE BAG

You have a bag of oranges. On Monday you eat 1/3 of them. On Tuesday you eat 1/2 of the remaining oranges. On Wednesday there are 2 oranges left in the bag. How many were in the bag to start?

Answer:

6.............On Tuesday, 2/3 of the oranges remain. So you eat 2/6 of them (1/2 0f 2/3)........or 1/3. 2/3 of the oranges are now gone. Since you have 2 left, 2 must be 1/3 of the original number in the bag. 2 = 1/3X, X =6.

Another solution: If you ate half the remaining oranges on Tuesday leaving 2 oranges on Wednesday, there must have been four oranges left on Tuesday. On Monday, the number of oranges less 1/3 of them should equal 4......X - 1/3X = 4.

DAY 241

3 is to 9 as 4 is to:

A) 10
B) 12
C) 16

Answer:

A, B, and C

3 + 6 = 9...........................4 + 6 = 10
3 X 3 = 9...........................4 X 3 = 12
3 squared = 9...........4 squared = 16

DAY 240
What number must be added to 1/45 to get 2/9?

Answer:

1/5.........2/9 = 10/45. You must add 9/45, which is 1/5.

DAY 239
Solve for x:

1/x + 1/x + 1/x = 1/5

Answer:

x = 15...........1/x + 1/x +1/x = 3/x
3/x = 1/5 solves to x = 15.

DAY 238
Credit: Yvonne Parietti in Parade Magazine--Ask Marilyn--by Marilyn Vos Savant

Sat that a bag contains 100 marbles: 30 red, 30 blue, 30 green, plus a mix of 10 yellow and orange marbles. To be certain that you have 10 marbles of the same color, what is the minimum number you would need to remove (without looking) from the bag?

HINT: Consider the worst case.

Answer:

38...........In the unluckiest case, you would remove (in whatever order) 9 red marbles, 9 blue , 9 green, and all 10 of the yellow and orange marbles. So far, you have removed 37 marbles, but still do not have 10 of the same color. If you remove one more marble, it will be either red, blue, or green---giving you 10 of the same color.