Math Puzzle of the Week

November 9, 2009

Algebra: How many polynomials are there of the form x3 - 8x2 + cx + d = 0 such that c and d are real numbers, and the three roots of the polynomial are distinct positive integers?

From NCTM

Answer available November 16, next puzzle

Answer to math puzzle of November 2

Logic: 25% of blue furbils are conical, and half of all conical furbils are blue. One quarter of all furbils are neither blue nor conical. What percentage are BOTH blue and conical?

From NCTM

Solution: the non-conical blue furbils outnumber conical ones 3 to 1, but the non-blue conical furbils are as common as the blue ones. For example, if there are 3 blue conical furbils, there must be 9 non-conical blue ones, and 3 non-blue conical ones. Since 3/4 of all furbils are either blue or conical, there must be 5, in this example, which are neither. Of the 20 altogether, 3 are both, which gives 15%

For more math puzzles, check out http://www.mathpuzzle.com/, http://mathschallenge.net/, http://www.princeton.edu/~mathclub/puzzles4.html and http://mathforum.org/k12/k12puzzles/

  Andromeda Galaxy©copyright 2009, Louis Bookbinder - booky1@earthlink.netMade with Macintosh
updated 9 Movember 2009
.