Answer to December 31, 2001 Problem

The Palindromic Year Problem
The Year 2002 is a palindromic year (it reads the same backwards as forwards). The last one occured in 1991, so we have lived to see two palindromic years. However, most people only live to see one Palindromic year since recently, they have occured 110 years apart (1991, 1881, 1771, 1661, ...).

Starting with the Year 1 AD, what period of 100 years contains the most number of palindromic years?

Solution:
There are two answers:
The years 1 to 100 AD and the years 2 to 101 AD both contain 18 palindromic years.

Scanning back through the years,
in the four-digit years: most palindromic years are separated by 110 years;
in the three-digit years: most are separated by 10 years (999, 989, 979, ...), so in a span of 100 years (from 900 to 999) there are ten palindromic years;
But the most Palindromic years occur in the single- and two-digit years: 101, 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22, 11, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

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Correctly solved by:

1. Richard K. Johnson La Jolla, California
2. Keith Mealy Cincinnati, Ohio
3. Rick Jones Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
4. Walt Arrison Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Jaime Garcia Winchester, Virginia
6. John Beasley Winchester, Virginia
7. Jacob Baker Winchester, Virginia
8. Laurence O'Neill Winchester, Virginia
9. Bob Hearn Winchester, Virginia
10. David & Judy Dixon Bennettsville, South Carolina
11. David Powell Winchester, Virginia
12. Travis Riggs Winchester, Virginia
13. Joe Jenkins Winchester, Virginia
14. George Gaither Winchester, Virginia
15. Jaime Lockhart Winchester, Virginia
16. Matt Crandell Winchester, Virginia
17. James Alarie University of Michigan -- Flint
18. Nick von Keller Winchester, Virginia
19. Brandon Copple Winchester, Virginia
20. Tori Eads Winchester, Virginia