Working through math riddles can transform numbers into pure enjoyment. Not only does it lift your mood, but it also strengthens your creativity and problem-solving abilities. And nothing compares to the thrill of solving a tough problem completely on your own.
CHALLENGE ONE
A duck was given $9, a spider was given $36, a bee was given $27. Based on this information, how much money would a cat receive?
Answer:
This puzzle relies on the typical number of legs each animal has. A duck has two legs, so $9 ÷ 2 = $4.5 per leg. Checking the pattern: a spider has eight legs, and 8×4.5=36; a bee has six legs, and 6×4.5=27. Therefore, since a cat has four legs, 4×4.5=$18.
So, the cat would get $18.
CHALLENGE TWO
Seven people attend a meeting. Each shakes hands once with every other person. How many handshakes occur?
Answer:
With 7 people, each shakes hands 6 times—once with each of the others. At first glance, that’s 7×6=42, but each handshake involves two people, so we’ve double-counted. Dividing by two gives the correct total: 21.
CHALLENGE THREE
A father and son’s ages add up to 66. The father’s age is the son’s age reversed. What are their ages?
Answer:
There are three valid pairs:
51 and 15,
24 and 42,
60 and 6.
