Answer to December 1, 2003 Problem

Arithmetricks

Answer the following questions and do the operations required.

_______ A. How many days did it take Phileas Fogg to go around the world? 

_______ B. What is the total number of letters you would need to make a clock   
           face showing the 12 hours in Roman numerals?  Add this to your first
           answer above

_______ C. Subtract the number of years celebrated on a Silver Anniversary from 
           the number of "winks" in a short nap, and multiply your result by 
           answer B

_______ D. Subtract the number of trombones in a famous song from The Music Man 
           from answer C

_______ E. What is the number that people with triskaidekaphobia fear? Subtract 
           this number from answer D

_______ F. Add the year that the 1968 film whose title includes the words A 
           Space Odyssey takes place to answer E

_______ G. Divide this number by the sum of Beethoven's total number of 
           symphonies and the number on a black billiards ball

_______ H. Now subtract the number of squares on a checkerboard

_______ I. Multiply this result by the product of the number of minutes in a 
           professional boxing round and the number of feet in a pole that you 
           would not use to touch something you were definitely trying to avoid

_______ J. Divide answer I by the answer you get when you divide the number of 
           days that September hath by the Amendment number that protects a 
           person from self-incrimination

_______ K. Deduct from this the length, in miles, of a famous auto race that 
           takes place every Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis

_______ L. Divide answer K by a number that's another name for the game of 
           blackjack

_______ M. Subtract from answer L the number of times that Franklin Delano
           Roosevelt was elected to the presidency

_______ N. Your answer to M should equal the number of the route that you could 
           "get your kicks" on in an old song, divided by the sum of Bart 
           Simpson's age (in years) and the date of April Fools' Day.  

 

Solution to the Problem:

               
A.    80 (Around the World in Eighty Days)
B.    26 (total letters) + 80 (Answer A) = 106
C.    40 (winks) - 25 (years) = 15 x 106 (Answer B) = 1590
D.  1590 (Answer C) - 76 (Trombones) = 1514
E.  1514 (Answer D) - 13 (triskaldekaphobe's fear) = 1501
F.  1501 (Answer E) + 2001 (A Space Odyssey) = 3502
G.     9 (symphonies) + 8 (billiards ball) = 17
    3502 / 17 = 206
H.   206 (Answer G) - 64 (checkerboard squares) = 142
I.     3 (minutes) x 10 (ten-foot pole) = 30
     142 (Answer H) x 30 = 4260
J.    30 (days In September) / 5 (Amendment) = 6
    4260 (Answer I) / 6 = 710
K.   710 (Answer J} - 500 (miles) = 210
L.   210 (Answer K) + 21 (blackjack) = 10
M.    10 (Answer L) - 4 (times elected) = 6
N.    10 (years) + 1 (April 1) = 11
      66 (Route 66) / 11 = 6


Correctly solved by:

1. John Funk Ventura, California
2. Richard Johnson La Jolla, California
3. Bill Funk San Antonio, Texas
4. Jo Monhollen Winchester, Virginia
5. Walt Arrison Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. James Alarie University of Michigan -- Flint
Flint, Michigan
7. Jeffrey Gaither Winchester, Virginia
8. Mary Margaret Columbus, Georgia
9. Ashleigh Rogers Winchester, Virginia
10. David & Judy Dixon Bennettsville, South Carolina
11. Misty Carlisle Winchester, Virginia
12. Dave Smith Toledo, Ohio
13. Will Badcock Columbus, Georgia
14. David Hand Columbus, Georgia
15. Kaylyn Miller Columbus, Georgia
16. Richard Strauss Columbus, Georgia
17. Eweymae ----------
18. Karla Columbus, Georgia
19. Patrick Mize Columbus, Georgia
20. Franklin Harcourt Columbus, Georgia
21. Catherine Capers Columbus, Georgia
22. Irene Mathieu Winchester, Virginia