IMPOSSIPUZZLES

1

Auntie Seonaidh is one and a half times as old as she was when she was one and a half times as old as she was when she was four years younger than half as old as she is now. How old is Auntie Seonaidh?

2

“Commission only, and I like it,” John declared. “Last week I made ten pounds less than three times as much as the week before.” Mike nodded. “I suppose it does have advantages, but you must have bad weeks too. How much the previous week?” “Just two hundred pounds less than last week,” his friend replied. “One of those bad weeks.” What were the respective amounts?

3

“Lend me a pound,” said Norah. “You’ve got twice as much as I have.”

“Not likely!” Jason replied. “Then I’d have only one and a half times as much as you.” How much did Jason have? 4

I am thinking of a 3-figure number. If you add together its three digits, and multiply by twelve, you get one less than the number itself. What number am I thinking of?

5

The price for my basket of goods in the local shop would have been 20p less if I had done it last year, hence I would have received one and a half times as much change from £5 as I would now. How much does my basket of goods cost nowadays?

6

“Wow, all dolled up!” Mary exclaimed. “New coat, new trousers, new shoes. Did you win a lottery?” “Come on, they weren’t so expensive,” Doug replied. “Only £102 the lot. The coat was just three times the shoes, and the trousers half as much as shoes and coat together.” What were the individual prices?