Home > Puzzles of the month |
May 2015 - Archimedean Cattle
This is based on a problem set by Archimedes. There is a field with many
cattle. There are white bulls and cows, black bulls and cows, and yellow
bulls and cows. Here are some clues:
Three times the number of white bulls makes the number of black bulls
and yellow bulls.
Twice the number of white cows makes the number of yellow cattle.
Twice the number of black bulls makes the number of white bulls and yellow
bulls.
Three times the number of black cows makes the number of white cattle
and yellow cows.
Twice the number of yellow bulls makes the number of white cows and black
cattle.
The number of white bulls and black cows make one less than a square number.
What is the smallest possible non-zero number of white cows?
The deadline has passed. You can see the answer or go to the Hall of Fame.
Related entries
The solution
Hall of Fame
|