December 2008
Problem of the Month

Candy Canes and Ornaments



Amy, Carol, Michael, and Sarah each have their own Christmas tree.
Each Christmas tree has a different number of candy canes (13, 15, 17, and 18) and a different number of ornaments (23, 32, 39, and 40).

Figure out how many candy canes and ornaments are on each person's Christmas tree.

  1. The Christmas tree with thirty-two ornaments is not the tree with fifteen candy canes.
  2. There are no more than thirty-nine ornaments on Amy's Christmas tree.
  3. Carol's Christmas tree has the fewest number of ornaments.
  4. Sarah's Christmas tree has twenty-two more ornaments than the number of candy canes.
  5. There are no more than thirty-nine ornaments on Michael's Christmas tree.
  6. Carol's Christmas tree has the fewest number of candy canes.
  7. Michael's Christmas tree has fifteen more ornaments than the number of candy canes.

You may use the table below to help solve this problem.

            Candy Canes         Ornaments    
    Name         13         15         17         18         23         32         39         40    
    Amy                                                                    
    Carol                                                                    
    Michael                                                                    
    Sarah                                                                    





Solution to the Problem:

            Candy Canes         Ornaments    
    Name         13         15         17         18         23         32         39         40    
    Amy         X         O         X         X         X         X         O         X    
    Carol         O         X         X         X         O         X         X         X    
    Michael         X         X         O         X         X         O         X         X    
    Sarah         X         X         X         O         X         X         X         O    




Correctly solved by:

1. K. Sengupta Calcutta, INDIA
2. Jaci Egley Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
3. Scott Woody Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
4. Jacquelyn Heltz Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Emily Stapp Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
6. Marissa Vitt Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
7. David & Judy Dixon Bennettsville, South Carolina
8. Jeremy Harmon Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
9. Jacob Harmon Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Michael Brown Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Melissa Brown Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
12. JT Gray Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
13. Les Walker Ventura, California
14. Mark O. Kampman Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming


Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher