Puzzles in Math And Logic

Which planet is usually closet to Pluto? If the answer to this question, problem 85 in Mr. Friedland’s collection, seems obvious, then perhaps you should stop to reflect a bit, for the correct answer may astound you. The book presents, for the alternate consternation and satisfaction of the reader, fully 100 intriguing problems based on permutations and combinations, properties of numbers, algebra, geometry, and logic. All the problems are posed in the form of stories, and all require of the puzzle-solver the same curiosity as the protagonists in Mr. Friedland’s little stories. You should approach each of these problems carefully, for elements of challenge and surprise are built into every one, and all are sufficiently difficult to tax the wits of the inveterate puzzle-solver. Though none of the puzzles here requires any more mathematical knowledge than high-school algebra and geometry, problems are sufficiently difficult to provide hours of enjoyment for the more mathematically proficient. Moreover, the author has tried to create entirely original problems, so it is highly unlikely that you will find any you have encountered in other collections. Concise solutions are provided