A man gives each of his seven children an allowance of one dollar. Each child gets the same number of coins (using only quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies), but no two children get the same combination of coins.
What's the least number of coins he needs to pay all of the allowances?
Solution to the Problem:
The man will need at least 112 coins, giving each child 16
coins in these combinations:
(1) 3 quarters, 3 nickels, 10 pennies;
(2) 2 quarters, 4 dimes, 10 pennies;
(3) 2 quarters, 9 nickels, 5 pennies;
(4) 1 quarter, 4 dimes, 6 nickels, 5 pennies;
(5) 1 quarter, 15 nickels;
(6) 8 dimes, 3 nickels, 5 pennies;
(7) 4 dimes, 12 nickels.
Correctly solved by:
| 1. David & Judy Dixon | Bennettsville, South Carolina |
| 2. John Funk | Ventura, California |