Can you solve the maths question for Singapore high-schoolers ?

[Liu Kang]

Please use the spoiler tags if you got the answer or if you trying to tell it. Solution in spoiler tags at the end of the post.

Can you solve the maths question for Singapore schoolkids that went viral?
Alex Bellos

[...]

​

Ooh Cheryl you are such a tease. Photograph: Kenneth Kong/Facebook
​

Monday 13 April 2015 17.01 BSTLast modified on Wednesday 15 April 201511.15 BST

Singapore usually comes top, or nearly top, of the international rankings in primary maths performance.

And when you read this question – you can see why. It’s an excellent logical puzzle, which will stump most adults.

To clear up any ambiguity, Cheryl tells Albert the month in which her birthday falls, and she tells Bernard the day’s number.

In other words, Albert is told either May, June, July or August. Bernard is told either 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19.

The question was posted by Singapore TV presented Kenneth Kong on his Facebook page this weekend and has gone round the world.

He wrote: “This question causes a debate with my wife .... and its a P5 question.” I’m assuming that means primary Year 5.

Can you do it? Are you smarter than a Singaporean ten-year-old?

Go on, give it a try.

(If no one gets the right answer - and shows their workings! - I’ll post it later).

UPDATE: It now appears that the question was not intended for year 5 primary schoolkids but in fact for 14/15-year olds. According to Singapore news agencyMothership.sg the question was part of a Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad test paper, which is aimed at the best 40 per cent of students. In any case, Singapore is also always top, or nearly top, internationally for secondary maths also. So, I rephrase the question: are you smarter than a Singaporean 14-year-old?

http://www.theguardian.com/science/...gapore-primary-maths-question-that-went-viral

Better view :

SOLUTION (click at your own risk)

Spoiler: don't click if you don't wanna get spoiled

Spoiler: really, click at your own risk, last warning

 

[Kritic]

i couldn't get it. the writing/english kinda fuqqed me up.

for a problem they wanted the international audience to participate in they should've written it better. they need to step their english game up..

 

[the cac mamba]

 

[Liu Kang]

So who got it ? Don't tell me 15yo Singaporeans styling on HL ?

 

[88m3]

maybe you can use an algebra equation but I don't see it.

 

[Big Jo]

jesus christ does anything not go viral these days

 

[Liu Kang]

jesus christ does anything not go viral these days

I'll edit the title if that bothers you. I just copy/pasted the thing but the thread is not about the "viralness" but the maths question.

 

[Yapdatfool]

I thought July 14.
Oh well

 

[alybaba]

It's a logic question. Took me a few mins, but doable without any frameworks if you just read it carefully and think it through.

 

[tru_m.a.c]

terrible english