Three Sentences
Barbara, Robert and Michaelle each wrote a sentence on their own copybook that must be completed accurately. The three sentences are the following: Each of them tries to insert a number (written in words) such that the sentence is true. Which of them can insert an appropriate number in words?
Details and Assumptions:
Assume we use the English alphabet. A, E, I, O, U are vowels and the remaining letters (including W and Y) are consonants.
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1 solution
In Barbara 's sentence, there are already 29 letters. But, when she puts a number in word form, it will add some more letters to the sentence! So, a reasonable solution might be to say thirty-something and hope it adds up. The number thirty has six letters. By inspection, the number 39 has 10 letters in word form, and it adds up! 29+10=39!
Onto the second sentence. Robert 's sentence has 11 vowels, so a reasonable answer might be in the "teen" range. The number thirteen has 3 vowels, so there are too many vowels now! The number fourteen has 4 vowels, still too many vowels. The number fifteen, though, only has 3 vowels and now there are too little vowels in the sentence. It is pretty clear by this point that we will not be able to find a number that will satisfy the sentence (There will always be too little vowels from this point on).
Michaelle 's sentence is talking about consonants. The number of consonants is 29(full sentence)-11(vowels) = 18. So a reasonable answer would probably be in the twenties. The number twenty has five consonants, so we are looking for a number 23 and up. 24 has seven consonants, so that is too many. But the number 25 also has 7 consonants, and it adds up: 18+7=25!
So, only Barbara's and Michaelle's sentences can insert a word form number to make the sentence true. Sorry Robert!