[Guest]

In a beautiful kingdom, there lives a very smart Sultan. He has a 36-years-old Minister who helps him governing the kingdom. One day, they are having a chat. The Sultan asks, "How old are your 3 kids?" Knowing that the Sultan likes puzzles, the Minister answers, "Well, the total of their ages equals to your age. And the multiplication of their ages equals to my age. After thinking for a moment, the Sultan replies, "I don't know exactly how old they are".

Question: How old is the Sultan?

Hint:

- Assume all ages are integers

- The Sultan and the Minister know their ages each other.

[Gambit]

is the sultan 21?

Edited June 24, 2008 by Gambit

[Guest]

is the sultan 21?

No. It will be better if you explain how can you get that number. Perhaps your explanation can be a clue for the others to get closer to the answer.

[Guest]

A very young Sultan = 13 yo

[Guest]

I would say that 13 is the answer since the childrens ages can be either 6, 6, 1 or 2, 2, 9 which add up to 13 and sum to 36, so the Sultan wouldn't know exactly how old they are.

[Guest]

I would say that 13 is the answer since the childrens ages can be either 6, 6, 1 or 2, 2, 9 which add up to 13 and sum to 36, so the Sultan wouldn't know exactly how old they are.

You've got it !!!!

the Sultan is unable to guess not because he can't do the math, but because there are 2 possible answers, either 6 6 1 or 9 2 2.

Remember, he is a smart guy. And yes, he is a very young Sultan.

[Guest]

The only combinations of ages which multiply to give 36 are:

1,1,36; 1,2,18; 1,3,12; 1,4,9; 1,6,6; 2,2,9; 2,3,6; 3,3,4.

The resulting sums of these ages are:

38, 21, 16, 14, 13, 13, 11, 10.

Since the sultan is smart, he would be able to calculate the ages if there was a definite answer. The only combinations which share an answer are 1,6,6 and 2,2,9.

Therefore the sultan's age is 13.

[rookie1ja]

nice ... seems to be variation on an already posted puzzle entitled

Children

[Guest]

In a beautiful kingdom, there lives a very smart Sultan. He has a 36-years-old Minister who helps him governing the kingdom. One day, they are having a chat. The Sultan asks, "How old are your 3 kids?" Knowing that the Sultan likes puzzles, the Minister answers, "Well, the total of their ages equals to your age. And the multiplication of their ages equals to my age. After thinking for a moment, the Sultan replies, "I don't know exactly how old they are".

Question: How old is the Sultan?

Hint:

- Assume all ages are integers

- The Sultan and the Minister know their ages each other.

The Age of the Sultan should be 17

.i.e. ( Minister has 3 kids and there age is 12,3 and 1 and if you muliply there age it wil be 12*3*1 =36 and if you add them 12+3+1= 17

[Guest]

The Age of the Sultan should be 17

.i.e. ( Minister has 3 kids and there age is 12,3 and 1 and if you muliply there age it wil be 12*3*1 =36 and if you add them 12+3+1= 17

No, because the sultan is smart, and would have known the ages of the children if this was the case, since 12,3,1 is the only combination that have the sum 17.

[itachi-san]

No, because the sultan is smart, and would have known the ages of the children if this was the case, since 12,3,1 is the only combination that have the sum 17.

everyone please stop saying 12 + 3 + 1 = 17.... thanks

Edit: woon got it in post #4 anyway. funny thing, i got the right answer without taking the extra thought as to why it was right. good explanation cdhanjal, gave me one of those oh yeah... moments

Edited June 24, 2008 by itachi-san

[Guest]

everyone please stop saying 12 + 3 + 1 = 17.... thanks

Edit: woon got it in post #4 anyway. funny thing, i got the right answer without taking the extra thought as to why it was right. good explanation cdhanjal, gave me one of those oh yeah... moments

17 is the new 16. 16 is sooo last week.

[Guest]

cool riddle

[Guest]

The Age of the Sultan should be 17

.i.e. ( Minister has 3 kids and there age is 12,3 and 1 and if you muliply there age it wil be 12*3*1 =36 and if you add them 12+3+1= 17

12+3+1=16 and not 17 hahhah

[Guest]

The possible products for 36 are:

6 * 6 * 1

12 * 3 * 1

18 * 2 * 1

In these cases, the sultan would 13, 16, or 21 respectively. The most likely answer is 21... <_<

In a beautiful kingdom, there lives a very smart Sultan. He has a 36-years-old Minister who helps him governing the kingdom. One day, they are having a chat. The Sultan asks, "How old are your 3 kids?" Knowing that the Sultan likes puzzles, the Minister answers, "Well, the total of their ages equals to your age. And the multiplication of their ages equals to my age. After thinking for a moment, the Sultan replies, "I don't know exactly how old they are".

Question: How old is the Sultan?

Hint:

- Assume all ages are integers

- The Sultan and the Minister know their ages each other.

[Guest]

The possible products for 36 are:

6 * 6 * 1

12 * 3 * 1

18 * 2 * 1

In these cases, the sultan would 13, 16, or 21 respectively. The most likely answer is 21... <_<

Nope. This riddle has only ONE possible answer.

[Guest]

The Sultan is 13. The combinations 1,6,6 and 2,2,9 are the only combinations that multiply out to 36 but add up to the same number. That's why the Sultan could not figure out the kids ages.

[Guest]

Well done.

Edited June 24, 2008 by mvrg

[Guest]

The Age of the Sultan should be 17

.i.e. ( Minister has 3 kids and there age is 12,3 and 1 and if you muliply there age it wil be 12*3*1 =36 and if you add them 12+3+1= 17

lol, are u kidding, "12+3+1= 17"??? 12+3+1=16

[Guest]

The only combinations of ages which multiply to give 36 are:

1,1,36; 1,2,18; 1,3,12; 1,4,9; 1,6,6; 2,2,9; 2,3,6; 3,3,4.

The resulting sums of these ages are:

38, 21, 16, 14, 13, 13, 11, 10.

Since the sultan is smart, he would be able to calculate the ages if there was a definite answer. The only combinations which share an answer are 1,6,6 and 2,2,9.

Therefore the sultan's age is 13.

hi, i also got those answers.

btw, 1,1,36 isn't possible because he cant have children that are his age

[Guest]

K.. list all the factors of 36.. {12,3) {18,2} {9,4} ( you can multiply both of those by one as well (third child)). or {9,2,2,} {4,3,3}. No stated stipulations can conclude other wise without using assumptions. We all know what U and Me become when we do that. But due to the fact he is of supreme standing in this "beautiful land", I'm going with the age factor on this. So I'm going to ASS_U_ME he is....

21