Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/52 - In the Year 1900/Solution

by : $52$

 * In the Year $1900$

Solution

 * $44$.

Proof
This puzzle was presented in $1932$.

Years immediately before then which are divisible by $29$ are:
 * $1827 = 63 \times 29$
 * $1856 = 64 \times 29$
 * $1885 = 65 \times 29$
 * $1914 = 66 \times 29$

The years of death for each of these can then be calculated as:
 * $1827 + 63 = 1890$

which is too early, as it is implied he was still alive in $1900$.


 * $1856 + 64 = 1920$

which produces the valid solution that he was $44$ in $1900$.


 * $1885 + 65 = 1950$

which, in $1932$, is still in the future, so he has not died.