There are a variety of acceptable ages that have a product of 72.

The first question indicates that the first MIT grad doesn't yet have enough information to know the ages. Only two possibilites are ambiguous: (2, 6, 6) and (3, 3, 8). One of these two must be correct.

The second question indicates that there is a single oldest child -- not two. So (3, 3, 8) is the only acceptable answer.

And no, I'm not uber-smart. Google is my friend.

- Warren

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chroot
[B]There are a variety of acceptable ages that have a product of 72.

The first question indicates that the first MIT grad doesn't yet have enough information to know the ages.

 

btw, I got it without cheating.. warren

 

oh come on, this is so easy (for the superdupersonic bird one, don't know how many times I've heard this in math/physics classes). Second one was pretty easy too