Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Best Math Problem Ever

(from one of my friends' textbooks):

"Conan the Great has boasted to his hordes of followers that many a notorious villain has fallen to his awe-some sword: his total of 560 villains consists of evil sorcerers, trolls, and orcs. These he has slain with a total of 620 mighty thrusts of his sword; evil socerers and trolls each requiring two thrusts (to the chest) and orcs each requiring one thrust (to the neck). When asked about the number of trolls he has slain, he replies, "I, the mighty Conan, despise trolls five times as much as I despise evil sorcerers. Accordingly, five times as many trolls as evil sorcerers have fallen to my sword!" How many of each type of villain has he slain?"