A Study in Division

Puzzle

Here is a cute little arithmetical
study, told in the style of Mother
Goose, which shows how in the days
of auld lang syne the pedagogues
were wont to punish the dunces in
true Mikado fashion 'by making
the punishment fit the crime.
The sketch shows three little
dunces who failed ignominiously to
do that simple sum in division on
the blackboard, so, as the story
says:

"Those stupid boys, who were so
dumb,
They could not do a simple sum,
Were marked with numbers three,
one, six,
And told those numbers they could
mix,
And find by many changes tried
A sum which seven would divide!
You will say the answer is so plain
That all who fail, dunce caps should
gain!"

Puzzle in short

Arrange the boys so that the 3-digit number readable is a factor of 7.

Answer

References

• Loyd, Sam [1914]. in Loyd, Sam, Jr.: Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles Tricks and Conundrums (in English). New York: Lamb Publishing company, page 19.