A census taker asks a woman, “How many children do you have?”
“Three,” she answers.
“What are their ages?”
She responds, “The product of their ages is 36. The sum of their ages is the house number next door.”
The math-savvy census taker walks next door, reads the house number, appears puzzled, and returns to the woman, asking, “Is there something you forgot to tell me?”
“Oh yes,” says the woman. “I’m sorry. The oldest child is playing a video game.”
The census taker records the three ages, thanks the woman for her time, and leaves.
How old is each child? Explain how you reached this conclusion. (Hint: Consider factorizations.)
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