I think I got it, do you want the answers yet?
Yes, I couldn't do it - apart from by guesswork!
I didn't use a formula.......come on! I'm not that clever. More trial and error, common sense and winging it.
I bet the Boss, Pros or Mark will stun us with a formula
I thought I'd try a few examples before trying to get a formula. I realised from the question that either both digits (of Tom or Meg's age) were odd or both even, and that the sum of the digits had to be divisible by 3, which was enough to stumble on a correct answer almost immediately. I found another one just now, so maybe there are more.
I think there are quite a few answers really:
If you assume Meg is younger than Tom them Meg is 33 or 66 and Ed is 11 or 22.
If Meg is 33 then Tom is 55, 77 or 99 ; Phil is 11, 22 or 33 respectively
If Meg is 66 then Tom is 88 ; Phil is 11
If Meg is older, you get few more combinations.
Mark has read the question differently from me. My first answer was Tom 15, Meg 51, Phil 18 and Ed 17.
Second answer was 24, 42, 9, 14.
Have I misunderstood?
(08-10-2021, 06:56 PM)Mark_Riga Wrote: [ -> ]I think there are quite a few answers really:
If you assume Meg is younger than Tom them Meg is 33 or 66 and Ed is 11 or 22.
If Meg is 33 then Tom is 55, 77 or 99 ; Phil is 11, 22 or 33 respectively
If Meg is 66 then Tom is 88 ; Phil is 11
If Meg is older, you get few more combinations.
Dare I say - I think your assumption that Meg & Tom's ages are duplicate numbers like 33, 55 etc is not what is meant by the statement:-
Tom & Meg's ages are the same with the digits reversed.
Its more like 23 & 32.
(08-10-2021, 07:01 PM)MartinH Wrote: [ -> ]Mark has read the question differently from me. My first answer was Tom 15, Meg 51, Phil 18 and Ed 17.
Second answer was 24, 42, 9, 14.
Have I misunderstood?
Neither of these are the answer on my Puzzle Pad.
I can also get multiple combinations that work for this one, using similar logic to Martin. And there would be even more if, for example, Phil could be four and a half rather than a whole number!
I feel like it's either a trick question (why "How old is everyone?" and not "...are each of these people?") or there's some key information that's missing or I've failed to infer.
I reckon
Tom 51
Meg 15
Phil 18
Ed 5