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  • Get ready for the Games: Olympic logic

    25 July, 2012

    While the athletes are flexing their muscles, why not train your brain with these two Olympic puzzles? There'll be another two tomorrow.

    Medals Count

    Given the following clues, can you work out the number of gold, silver and bronze medals that France, Italy and Japan got?

    • Japan has 1 more gold medal, but 3 fewer silver medals, than Italy.
    • France has the most bronze medals (18), but fewest gold medals (7).
    • Each country has at least 6 medals of each type.
    • Italy has 27 medals in total.
    • Italy has 2 more bronze medals than gold medals.
    • The three countries have 38 bronze medals in total.
    • France has twice as many silver medals as Italy has gold medals.

    Football Champ

    Three teams A, B and C have each played two matches.

    Three points are given for a win and one point to each team for a draw.

    The table below gives the total number of points and goals scored for and against each team.

    Fill in the table and find the scores in each match.

    Teams Games Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Points
    A 2 5 3 3
    B 2 2 1
    C 2 3 2 4

    These brain teasers come from our sister site NRICH, which also has detailed teachers notes for them.

    Read more about...
    mathematics in sport
    olympics
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    mathematics in sport
    olympics
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