FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, 21 March 1907, Page 38

FAMILY FUN

The Money Game.— A person having in one hand a piece of gold, and in the. other a piece of silver, you may tell in which hand he has. the gold and in which the silver by the following method : Some value, represented by an even number, such as 8, must be assigned to the gold ; and a value represented by .an odd number, such as 3, must be assigned to the ' silver ; after which desire the person to multiply the number in the right hand by any even number whatever, such as 2, and that in the left by an odd number, as 3 ; then bid him add together the two prdducts, and if the whole sum be odd, the gold will be in the right hand, and the silver in the left ; _ if the sum 1 be even the contrary will be the case. To conceal the artifice better, it will be sufficient to ask whether the sum of the two products can be halved without the remainder'; for in that case the total will be even, and in the contrary case odd. It may be readily seen that the pieces, instead of being mi the two hands of the same person, may be supposed to be in the hands, of two persons, one of whom has the even number, or piece of gold, and the other the odd number, or piece of silver. lhe same operations may then be performed in regard to these two persons as are performed in regard to the two hands of the same person, calling the one privately the right, and the other the left. Am 1 I able to tell you the word which I mean, , 'Tis done— nothing more need be said"; Believe me, the word is as easily seen, And as quickly as this may foe read. But lest you should wander for want of a clue, / My first is a part of to be, My second^ tho' never belonging to you, Is appropriate always 1o me. My third is an emblem of power and might, And wisdom and strength it implies ; ' Should you be my third, with much eager delight You would haste to remove niy disguise. But are you my whole ? What adamant soul Can resist your all-conquering sway ; "~ The rage of the passion you sqjtly control, And charm the blue devils away. Answer— Ara-i-able.