The lost cent

Puzzle

Here is a puzzle known as the Covent Garden Problem, which appeared in London half a century ago, accompanied by the somewhat surprising assertion that it had mystified the best mathematicians of England. The problem is continually cropping up, in some form or other, generally accompanied by that same statement of its having baffled the European mathematicians, all of which must be taken with a liberal allowance of salt, as our Yankee scholars would find such little difficulty in dispelling the mystery that I can only feel justified in presenting it as a special practice problem for our more juvenile puzzlists. As some of the other puzzles have proven to be too difficult for many beginners who have become interested in such matters, I have determined to act upon an oft-repeated suggestion from our younger friends to present a few simple problems of a mathematical nature which all should be able to solve. Well, to get back to the Covent Garden Problem, which I had almost forgotten. It is told that two huckster ladies were selling apples at the market, when Mrs. Smith, for some reason or other which must be the real mystery which has baffled the mathematicians, was called away and asked Mrs. Jones, the other apple lady, to dispose of her stock for her. Now, it appears that they each had an equal number of apples, but Mrs. Jones had larger fruit and was selling hers at the rate of two for a penny, while Mrs. Smith sold three of hers for a penny. Upon accepting the responsibility of disposing her friend's stock, Mrs. Jones, wishing to be very impartial, mixed them all together and sold them off at the rate of five apples for two pence. When Mrs. Smith returned the next day the apples had all been disposed of, but when they came to divide the proceeds they found that they were just seven pence short, and it is this shortage in the apple or financial market which has disturbed the mathematical equilibrium for such a long period. Supposing that they divided the money equally, each taking one half, the problem is to tell just how much money Mrs. Jones lost by the unfortunate partnership.

Solution

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 39.