Sunday Afternoon Maths XXV
Posted on 2014-08-17
Polya strikes out
Write the numbers 1, 2, 3, ... in a row. Strike out every third number beginning with the third. Write down the cumulative sums of what remains:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, ...
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, ...
1, 2, 4, 5, 7, ...
1=1; 1+2=3; 1+2+4=7; 1+2+4+5=12; 1+2+4+5+7=19; ...
1, 3, 7, 12, 19, ...
Now strike out every second number beginning with the second. Write down the cumulative sums of what remains. What is the final sequence? Why do you get this sequence?
Whist
Messrs. Banker, Dentist, Apothecary and Scrivener played whist last night. (whist is a four player card game where partners sit opposite each other.) Each of these gentlemen is the namesake of another's vocation.
Last night, the apothecary partnered Mr. Apothecary; Mr. Banker's partner was the scrivener; on Mr. Scrivener's right sat the dentist.
Who sat on the banker's left?
If you enjoyed these puzzles, check out Advent calendar 2023,
puzzles about probability, or a random puzzle.
puzzles about probability, or a random puzzle.