h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have 48 one pound coins (£48) which I have to share equally between a number of people.

How much cash does each person receive ? Please say why.

(I'm looking for a specific sum, not a formula.)

I'm not sure if I understand the question - don't I have to know between how many people you have to share ?

Let's state the obvious, and see what happens:

Assume number of people is an integer n, where 1<=n<=48

Answer is either £48 (n=1), £24 (n=2), £16 (n=3), £12 (n=4), £8 (n=6), £6 (n=8), £4 (n=12), £3 (n=16), £2 (n=24) or £1 (n=48).

All other values of n undefined.

Icy, Sorry pal, definately no cigar,
If you take another look at the question, it states quite clearly, I think, that (Quote):-

"I am looking for a specific sum, not a formula."

Popa.

Well I only posted it cheekily, to elicit a response.

I wouldn't exactly call it a formula. s = 48/n would be the formula. I'd call it a statement of the ten possible solutions.


Seriously, I suspect that there is a lateral solution to this, but I haven't spotted it yet!


OK let's try this next:

Popa, as you didn't state the number of people, I have set this to be 8. The answer is £6.

Icy

I thought it should maybe be 1+x, depending on the number of people you shall share it through, but there are too many ifs included in that.

I've come back to this time and time again, Popa, and I still can't see your lateral solution. I'm probably far too literal to see it.

Any other hints which might help us?

Icy

Hi Icy, if you know the difference between 'between' and 'among' you should get the solution - I still don't

Hi Bel!

Aha! I think "between" in correct usage means "between two" (cf. Dutch "twee" = two). We should use "among" for more than two. This is an over-precise definition which has been lost in general usage.

The answer is therefore £24.

Thanks for explaining - I should have looked it up in my dictionary, but I thought I knew what it meant

Smiles…

Quite right, both answer and reason. I was reluctant to say so, but this was an English Language problem rather than a Maths one. I must say it took a bit longer that I had expected for crossword addicts to solve though.

Well done you two.

Oi popa, you know I haven't done anything except trying
Well, I'll wait for the next one

Thanks Popan - a good puzzle.

I have no idea how many years it's been since I last thought of the correct meaning of "between". I'm sure there are other, similar examples in our incomprehensible language.

(and why do I keep spelling your name wrong?)

Must be a Freudian slip - only that I have no idea what you really mean

I don't understand that Freud stuff. Something to do with the mother figure. Is there a psychiatrist in the house?