It Could Be Verse Puzzle - Solution
The Puzzle:
As explained in this song.
Now, as he took his change away
He thought that it was wrong.
Some of the cakes were 30 cents,
And 40 cents the rest.
$1.50 change just made no sense,
It caused him great unrest.
Ten dollars he gave to pay for them:
Those 30 and 40c cakes.
But he wants us to say for him
How many of each did he take ?
How many ways can this be done ?
What is the greatest number of cakes Horace could have bought ?
Our Solution:
40c Cakes .. 30c Cakes .. Total ..
19 ($7.60) 3 ($0.90) 22 ($8.50)
16 ($6.40) 7 ($2.10) 23 ($8.50)
13 ($5.20) 11 ($3.30) 24 ($8.50)
10 ($4.00) 15 ($4.50) 25 ($8.50)
7 ($2.80) 19 ($5.70) 26 ($8.50)
4 ($1.60) 23 ($6.90) 27 ($8.50)
1 ($0.40) 27 ($8.10) 28 ($8.50)
So there are 7 ways it could have been done.
And the maximum number of cakes is 28.
| 40c Cakes .. | 30c Cakes .. | Total .. |
| 19 ($7.60) | 3 ($0.90) | 22 ($8.50) |
| 16 ($6.40) | 7 ($2.10) | 23 ($8.50) |
| 13 ($5.20) | 11 ($3.30) | 24 ($8.50) |
| 10 ($4.00) | 15 ($4.50) | 25 ($8.50) |
| 7 ($2.80) | 19 ($5.70) | 26 ($8.50) |
| 4 ($1.60) | 23 ($6.90) | 27 ($8.50) |
| 1 ($0.40) | 27 ($8.10) | 28 ($8.50) |
So there are 7 ways it could have been done.
And the maximum number of cakes is 28.
Puzzle Author: Stephen Froggatt