A86: Tough math problem... or is it?

To: GRAPH-TI@LISTS.PPP.TI.COM, assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: A86: Tough math problem... or is it?
From: QmH@aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 22:01:31 EST
Delivered-To: assembly-86-outgoing@towerguard.unix.edu.sollentuna.se
Reply-To: assembly-86@lists.ticalc.org



Kind of off topic, but oh well..... I apologize..

I came across an interesting math problem.  I couldn't think of anyway to
approach it.    If there's any of you math geniuses out there then try to give
this problem a shot.  The problem is as follows:

Each of seven kids has a fortune consisting of a different number of 
dollars. The ratio of any kid's fortune to the fortune of any poorer kid 
will always be a counting number. The total value of the fortunes of all 
the kids is $2,879.00. What is the fortune of each kid? 

I can't think of any other way of doing this other than trial and error?
Anybody know how to figure this one out?

I came up with the general equation..

F + F/(N1) + F/(N1*N2) + F/(N1*N2*N3) + F/(N1*N2*N3*N4) + F/(N1*N2*N3*N4*N5) +
F/(N1*N2*N3*N4*N5*N6) = 2879

Try to solve for F when all the N's are counting numbers greater than 1 (since
no two people can have the same fortune)..

I couldn't do it....  my last resort is to do trial and error.. I'll make a
program in VB or something that will try all the possible values of F and the
N's using a bunch of FORs and then wait there for a while....


~ QmH

Follow-Ups:

Re: A86: Tough math problem... or is it?

From: Dark Ryder <DarkRyder@cyberdude.com>

Re: A86: Tough math problem... or is it?

From: Jimmy Mardell <yarin@acc.umu.se>