February 2017
Problem of the Month

Cowboy Puzzler

Solution to the Problem:

The answer is 21.

Let C = cowboy hat
Let H = one horseshoe
Let B = one boot

Then you can write the following equations from the picture :
C + C + C = 30
C + 2H + 2H = 18
2H - 2B = 2
B + C x H = ??

From the first equation, you obtain
3C = 30, so C = 10
In the second equation, we obtain
10 + 4H = 18, so H = 2
In the third equation,
4 - 2B = 2, so B = 1

Substituting in the 4th equation and using the order of operations, you get:
1 + 10 x 2 = 21.

Correctly solved by:

1. Marivi Bungay-Domingo	Philippines
2. James Alarie	Flint, Michigan
3. Braydon Saxton	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
4. Alyx Wells	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Lila Burkett	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
6. Anna Tetzlaf and Eliza Sheffield	Tuscaloosa, Alabama
7. Rosemary Walker	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Brijesh Dave	Mumbai city, Maharashtra, India
9. Jim Hooker	Johnson City, Tennessee

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher

February 2017 Problem of the Month

Correctly solved by:

February 2017
Problem of the Month