Daily Mail Mindbender

[ginger1945]

Probably published April 2018 but cant see how to get answer £50 . (twice as much as?) Would appreciate
enlightenment!
" Five people spend an average of £73 on their weekly rent
between them. Ella's rent is twice as much as Martin's, who
pays £15 more per week than Tomaso pays. If Tomaso's weekly rent is
75 % of the rent Lucille pays per month, how much rent does Kathy pay per week."

[Calibax]

I don''t think there is enough information for a unique solution. If the average is 73 then the total must be 365.
If for example L pays £20 then T pays 15, M pays 30 and E pays 60 leaving K to pay the remaining 240.
But if L pays 60, T pays 45, M pays 60 and E pays 120 leaving K to pay the remaining 80. Both valid scenarios.
Unless I'm missing something or it is a non-mathematical puzzle.

[Davemano]

Not quite Calibax, T weekly pays 75% of what L pays monthly

Am still pondering, but I was confused with weekly and monthly.

[Calibax]

Ah, Thanks Dave, I missed that but if anything it makes it more confusing as there are a variable number of days (and weeks) in a month.

[Davemano]

Have just about got it, using a month as four weeks. Watch this space!!!!!

[Davemano]

One way.. working on four weeks in a month
E pays £150. weekly
M pays £75. weekly
T pays £60. weekly
L pays £20. weekly (£80 monthly)
K pays £65. weekly

[JJ109]

Sorry Dave - that doesn't work . Total = 370 and not 365

[Calibax]

I make that K paying 60 not 65, but anywal if L pays 10 then
E pays £90. weekly
M pays £45. weekly
T pays £30. weekly
L pays £10. weekly (£40 monthly)
K pays £190. weekly
so not unique

[Davemano]

Typo K is £60 weekly

[JJ109]

In the very first bit of info. 50 pounds (twice as much as?).
I think this bit must be relevant........but twice as much as who?

[Davemano]

That's the confusing bit - however that's two ways that add up.

[Calibax]

Making the (very bold) assumption that there are 4 weeks in a month I think it holds true for all values of L between £0.00 (K= £320.00) and L=£24.61 (K=0.07)

[Mamyalynne]

I have no intention of trying to solve this, but I read the OP as saying - they had seen the answer as '£50' and didn't know how it had been arrived at.

May well be wrong.

[Calibax]

£50 doesn't work Mamya. it would require L to pay £20.76923077
I definitely think we are missing some info.

[Davemano]

Yes Mamya but we can't see the relevance of (twice as much as?)

[Mamyalynne]

They must have published to solution by now, not sure how to find it.

[Calibax]

Think I'ii abandon this unless any more info comes to light.

[Davemano]

Me too - something doesn't ring quite true.

[fiction-factory]

The question is exactly as printed in the Scottish Daily Mail.
We need to know whether the monthly figure is 4 weeks, 4.333333 weeks or something else.
Even then I think there are lots of valid solutions (none of which seem to give and answer of £50 for katy- they give either 49.99 or 50.01) unless there is a requirement that all values must be an exact number of pence per week, but that would need a spreadsheet

[ginger1945]

Thanks all. I thought I might also have been missing something. I questioned phrase? 'as much as' being vague.
Being obstinate - I might write to Daily Mail

[fiction-factory]

Where did the 'answer ' of £50 come from, please?
I'm still not sure of why you feel "twice as much as" sounds vague- although I would agree that 'as much as' seems superfluous since 'twice' and 'twice as much as' mean the same thing to me