Thanks to the National Museum Of Mathematics (www.MoMath.org
) for providing the following quiz that appeared in the WSJ – although some in the readership will be relieved to know that this quiz is more about reasoning than math.
Please let me know how you work the problem. I will post all correct answers or alternatively will send the solution privately to anyone who requests it if no one figures it out.
Birthday Quiz
A while back, Nick stated: "Sometime during last year, I was still 21; in two days I'll be in my 25th year."
What day of the year is Nick's birthday & on what day of the year is he speaking?
February 27 is today’s date and the birthday is February 29. Forgot my reasoning. I asked Mary to marry me on February 29 so it’s an ongoing joke.
ReplyDeleteYou are not the first person to try to work the quiz around leap year or even bringing the Chinese New Year into play. You are missing the part about still being 21 sometime last year.
DeletePlease try again.
Yeah, sorry. I sent the first reply without thinking. After I hit send, I knew it was wrong.
DeleteNow, I think there is no answer. Playing around with the end of the year and beginning of the year, I can get 3 pretty easily, but not 4.
I'm probably missing something in the wording or definition of "last year" or in the 25th year meaning he had not turned 24 yet. But I am working on the assumption that he has to cross the 24th birthday threshold to be in his 25th year. I don't even think you could work it using the International date line.
You are very close this time. Yes he goes into his 25th year the day he turns 24. Make a time line & it will pop out to you.
DeleteWell duh. January 2 and New Years Eve. It came to me about 5 minutes after a 2 AM phone call. Long story
DeleteIt would make sense if his birthday was January 2nd and he was speaking on December 31st
ReplyDeleteBulls eye.
DeleteHas something to do with December 30 (his birthday) - in 2 days January 1 he jumps 2 years and the following December. And January he jumps 2 more years within days.
ReplyDeleteAs usual you are very close. Try making a time line for each year starting @ his current age & go back & forth from 21 to his 25th year & you will have it exactly. It doesn’t quite fit the way you presented it.
DeleteFeb 29. His bd is leap year. ...?...
ReplyDeleteGosh!!!!! Real difficult. Nick's birthday is on the 29th. February. On a leap year.
ReplyDeleteDoug, I am unable to work the problem for years 21 to 25. Kindly send me the solution.
DeleteDoug, Stupid me!!!! I had it solved all the time I was struggling with it except that on the 2nd year I failed to extend to start the 25th year. Thanks anyway for the solution.
DeleteJust read your quiz post. I believe it has to do with leap year. He must have been born on Feb. 29 and 2 days before that would be Feb. 27. Just wondering, in the other 3 years was he celebrating his birthdays on the 28th or March 1st.
ReplyDeleteBirthday is January 2nd and he made the statement on Dec. 31st :)
ReplyDeleteI figured the birthday and the date he said it had to straddle new year's day in order for this to work, so I tested out these dates and it worked!
Thanks for sending,
The solution that the writer of the quiz gave is Nick is born on January 2 and made the statement on December 31.
ReplyDeleteProof: Say on 12/31/1942 Nick makes the statement. Then he will be 24 on 1/2/1943 thereby starting his 25th year. In 1941 Nick was 21 on 1/1/1941 & 22 the rest of the year.
Thanks to all the good sports who participated.