riddle answer
02/25/03 ~ 8:21 a.m.
ok, if it's been bugging you, here's the answer:
first, figure out all the combinations of numbers that multiply to 36:
1, 1, 36
1, 2, 18
1, 3, 12
1, 4, 9
1, 6, 6
2, 2, 9
2, 3, 6
3, 3, 4
then figure out thier sums (in order):
38, 21, 16, 14, 13, 13, 11, 10
now, with this information, the second mathemetician STILL didn't know. this means that there must have been more than one possible answer at that point. we notice there are 2 cases where the sum is 13. therefore, he needs the third clue to discern from those two.
1, 6, 6 or 2, 2, 9? well, he said the youngest has red hair. so there IS a youngest, meaning that it can't be 2, 2, 9. so the answer is 1, 6, 6. =)
yay.
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