General

Maths screw you

A chain is draped over a fence with one end attached to a steel ball. A monkey is holding onto the other end of the chain with one hand and a banana with the other hand. The chain weighs one-third pound per foot. The ball weighs the same as the monkey, and the banana weighs two ounces per inch.

The chain, in feet, is as long as the age of the monkey in years. The weight of the monkey in ounces is as much as the age of the monkey's mother. The combined ages of the monkey and its mother are 30 years. Half the weight of the monkey, plus the weight of the banana, is a fourth as much as the combined weight of the steel ball and the weight of the chain.

[b]The monkey's mother is half as old as the monkey will be when it is three times as old as its mother was when she was half as old as the monkey will be when it is as old as its mother will be when she is four times as old as the monkey was when it was twice as old as its mother was when she was a third as old as the monkey was when it was as old as its mother was when she was three times as old as the monkey was when it was a fourth as old as it is now.[/b]

What the hell?