THE NEW YEAR'S EVE SUPPERS.
(
Money Puzzles)
The proprietor of a small London cafe has given me some interesting
figures. He says that the ladies who come alone to his place for
refreshment spend each on an average eighteenpence, that the
unaccompanied men spend half a crown each, and that when a gentleman
brings in a lady he spends half a guinea. On New Year's Eve he supplied
suppers to twenty-five persons, and took five pounds in all. Now,
assuming his averages to have held good in every case, how was his
company made up on that occasion? Of course, only single gentlemen,
single ladies, and pairs (a lady and gentleman) can be supposed to have
been present, as we are not considering larger parties.
Answer:
The company present on the occasion must have consisted of seven pairs,
ten single men, and one single lady. Thus, there were twenty-five
persons in all, and at the prices stated they would pay exactly L5
together.
