A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a

person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, one is required to put

pieces together in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct solution
of the puzzle. There are different types of puzzles for different ages,
such as crossword puzzles, word-search puzzles, number puzzles, or
logic puzzles. Mathematical puzzles make up an integral part of
recreational mathematics. Puzzles are often devised as a form of
entertainment but they can also arise from serious mathematical or
logistical problems. In such cases, their solution is a significant
contribution to mathematical research. Puzzles help to improve the
physical, cognitive and emotional skills of children. It helps to inculcate
good inductive and deductive reasoning. Puzzles and games help work
the brain in ways it does not normally get worked. It is like the physical
stretches one does before a sports game. Puzzles and games keep the
mind working and prepare it for the math that is to come. Also, they
develop logic and critical thinking and problem solving, which are all
critical to Mathematics learning. Also, puzzles can develop interest for
children in learning Mathematics.

OBJECTIVES OF PUZZLES

To create interest in Mathematics

To foster the mental development of students.
To improve hand-eye coordination of the child
To provide the opportunity for children to learn to work directly with
their environment

 To provide opportunity for the children to develop motor skills like

handwriting

PUZZLES TO PUZZLE YOU

1. The Waiter
Three men in a cafe order a meal the total cost of which is $15. They each contribute $5.
The waiter takes the money to the chef who recognizes the three as friends and asks the
waiter to return $5 to the men. The waiter is not only poor at mathematics but dishonest and
instead of going to the trouble of splitting the $5 between the three he simply gives them $1
each and pockets the remaining $2 for himself. Now, each of the men effectively paid $4, the
total paid is therefore $12. Add the $2 in the waiters pocket and this comes to $14.....where
has the other $1 gone from the original $15?
Solution: The payments should equal the receipts. It does not make sense to add what was

paid by the men ($12) to what was received from that payment by the waiter ($2)Although
the initial bill was $15 dollars, one of the five dollar notes gets changed into five ones. The
total the three men ultimately paid is $12, as they get three ones back. So from the $12 the
men paid, the owner receives $10 and the waiter receives the $2 difference. $15 - $3 = $10
+ $2.

2. The Father
A mother is 21 years older than her child. In exactly 6 years from now, the mother will be
exactly 5 times as old as the child. Wheres the father?
Solution: With the mother. If you do the math, you find out the child will be born in 9 months

3. The Frog
A frog is at the bottom of a 30 meter well. Each day he summons enough energy for one 3
meter leap up the well. Exhausted, he then hangs there for the rest of the day. At night, while
he is asleep, he slips 2 meters backwards. How many days does it take him to escape from
the well?
Note: Assume after the first leap that his hind legs are exactly three meters up the well. His
hind legs must clear the well for him to escape.
Solution: 28

Each day he makes it up another meter, and then on the twenty seventh day he can leap
three meters and climb out.
4.

Four Gallons

You have a three gallon and a five gallon measuring device. You wish to measure out four
gallons.
Solution: Fill the five gallon container. Pour all but two gallons into the three gallon container.

Empty the three gallon container. Put the two remaining gallons from the five gallon
container into the three gallon container. Fill the five gallon container one more time. Pour
one gallon from the five gallon container by filling the three gallon container. Now the five
gallon container contains four gallons.

5. The Pigeon
Two friends decide to get together; so they start riding bikes towards each other. They plan
to meet halfway. Each is riding at 6 MPH. They live 36 miles apart. One of them has a pet
carrier pigeon and it starts flying the instant the friends start travelling. The pigeon flies back
and forth at 18 MPH between the 2 friends until the friends meet. How many miles does the
pigeon travel?
Solution: 54.

It takes 3 hours for the friends to meet; so the pigeon flies for 3 hours at 18 MPH = 54 miles.
6.

The Monkey and the Coconut

Ten people land on a deserted island. There they find lots of coconuts and a monkey. During
their first day they gather coconuts and put them all in a community pile. After working all day
they decide to sleep and divide them into ten equal piles the next morning. That night one
castaway wakes up hungry and decides to take his share early. After dividing up the
coconuts he finds he is one coconut short of ten equal piles. He also notices the monkey
holding one more coconut. So he tries to take the monkey's coconut to have a total evenly
divisible by 10. However when he tries to take it the monkey conks him on the head with it
and kills him. Later another castaway wakes up hungry and decides to take his share early.
On the way to the coconuts he finds the body of the first castaway, which pleases him
because he will now be entitled to 1/9 of the total pile. After dividing them up into nine piles
he is again one coconut short and tries to take the monkey's slightly bloodied coconut. The
monkey conks the second man on the head and kills him. One by one each of the remaining
castaways goes through the same process, until the 10th person to wake up gets the entire
pile for himself. What is the smallest number of possible coconuts in the pile, not counting
the monkeys?
Solution: 2519

The solution for the answer is the LCM (Lowest Common Multiple) of 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 -1.
LCM would give the least number which is divisible by all of these numbers and subtracting
one would give us the number of coconuts which were initially there.

7. The Square Puzzle

Each empty white square in the grid contains one of the numbers 1, 2, 3,..., 8. Each of the
horizontal and vertical equations must be true and each number must be used exactly once.

Solution:

8. Eight 8s!!!!
Using eight eights and addition only, can you make 1000?
Solution: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1000

9. Ramu and his Children

Ramu has three daughters and each has one brother. How many children does he have?
Solution: 4

10.

Grandmas Birthday

You are your way to visit your Grandma, who

lives at the end of the valley. It's her birthday, and you want to
give her the cakes you've made. Between your house and her
house, you have to cross 7 bridges, and as it goes in the land of
make believe, there is a troll under every bridge! Each troll, quite
rightly, insists that you pay a troll toll. Before you can cross their
bridge, you have to give them half of the cakes you are carrying,
but as they are kind trolls, they each give you back a single cake.
How many cakes do you have to leave home with to make sure that you arrive at Grandma's
with exactly 2 cakes?
Solution: 2

At each bridge you are required to give half of your cakes, and you receive one back. Which
leaves you 2 cakes after every bridge.