Party trick

[scrambler]

Ask someone to write down their year of birth as a proper number i.e. 1,965. Then to add 68 underneath, then the year of their marriage, then their age in full years, then finally how long they have been married in full years (the answer, which you have written down earlier and sealed in an envelope will come to 2,076) A neat little party trick, but I think it was originally a little less obvious, any ideas?

[ask-a-stupid]

I got 2075.  I take it thats because my Birthday is in December?

[Munden]

Well I got 4077!!!! If you are adding two years in the 1900's together you will definitely get over 3,800!!! or have I misread the instructions.

[archbishop]

I got 3247. So I think we're all doing something wrong.

[pamnez]

I got 4076 then I decided to put my year of marriage at 66 instead of 1966 and I got 2176.  Nearer but still not 2076.

[lynnben]

  I also got 4076

[scrambler]

Sorry Munden, I was obviously wrong! the answer is 4,076.!! - If you didn't get it - try again

[ask-a-stupid]

now it's 4075...

[Fat Boy]

I'm not married so got 2072

[scrambler]

Now come along 'ask-a-stupid' Even 'fat-boy' got it rightish, and he's not married!!

What you are asking them to do, is: Add 2 numbers together which add up to the current year (2,004) TWICE. plus the spurious number 68. so twice 2,004 + 68 is ??? ( but i'm sure it is meant to be more complicated than that?)

[ask-a-stupid]

1966+68+2000+37+4=4075.

 

[JohnPPotts]

I presume you're meant to do this at Christmas so that it will (in most cases) mean that it's after your wedding anniversary (should you have one) - otherwise this will cause it to be one out.

[scrambler]

yes that highlights a possible problem - so the wording of the question has to be modified (both for the length of marrriage and current age in full years) to allow for this possibility. Thanks

[archbishop]

Well the closest I get using the new method is 2176. 1951+68+75+29+53=2176

[bernardo]

I got 2072.  The correct answer should be 2072 for unmarried people, and 4076 for married people.  The equation does not take into account

• the people who have not yet had their birthday during the current calendar year
• the people who have not yet had their wedding anniversary during the current year
• people who have been divorced
• people who have been married more than once
• people who are not married

and is therefore a stupid question anyway.