January 2008
Problem of the Month

Harry Potter Problem

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, Hagrid explains the monetary system of the wizards to Harry on p. 75:

The gold coins are Galleons
17 Silver Sickles = 1 Galleon
29 Knuts = 1 Sickle.

How much change should Harry get if he buys a broomstick that costs 1 Galleon, 5 Sickles, and 18 Knuts?

He gives the cashier all the money that he has in his pocket: 2 Galleons, 4 Sickles, and 3 Knuts.

Solution to the Problem:

The answer is 15 Sickles and 14 Knuts.

Yes, I know that Harry shouldn't have given the three Knuts because he got them right back in change but he didn't really understand the monetary system, so he just gave all the change that he had in his pocket.

Correctly solved by:

1. K. Sengupta	Calcutta, INDIA
2. John Funk	Ventura, California
3. David and Judy Dixon	Bennettsville, South Carolina
4. Taiya Cheney	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Hailey Granger	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
6. Sarah Nixon	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
7. Courtney Peterson	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Clint Lamb	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
9. Cherish Register	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Moofie Stockings	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Tawny Bugas	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
12. Lisa Tracy	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
13. Nicole Mortimer	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
14. Wynston Anglen	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
15. Ashly Lacy	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
16. Tyson Foianini	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
17. Cody Wease	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
18. Carson Revelli	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
19. Kaycie Rees	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
20. Mike Woody	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
21. Shenay Smith	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
22. Skye Williams	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
23. Morgan Vercimak	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
24. Nick Heltz	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
25. Kallie Gross	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
26. Chelsea Sidwell	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
27. Cody Oliver	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
28. Halie Gardner	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
29. Zachary Gray	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
30. Joshua Largent	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
31. Cassie Henry	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
32. Dallas Homan	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
33. Bethany Rinker	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
34. Parker Vercimak	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
35. Brooke Castillon	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
36. Valerie Taylor	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
37. Les Walker	Ventura, California

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher