Math genius needed
 

My wife's boss found this and said there's no way you'll figure this out!

Surely the smart people here can explain this. Thanks

This is pretty neat.

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute....... Work this out as
you read.. Be sure you don't read the bottom until
you've worked it out!




1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that
you would like to have chocolate. (more than once but
less than 10)









2. Multiply this number by 2 (Just to be bold)









3. Add 5.









4.. Multiply it by 50 I'll wait while you get the
calculator.................









5. If you have already had your birthday this year add
1755....



If you haven't, add 1754 ......







6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were
born.







You should have a three digit number .



The first digit of this was your original number
(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each
week).



The next two numbers are ........




YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)



THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2005) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO
SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS.

It's not really difficult:

Note that
5 * 50 = 250 and
1755 + 250 = 2005 (seem like a familiar number?)
When you subtract the year you were born from 2005, you are of course going to get your age.

The number you chose is multiplied first by 2, and then by 50 - i.e. in total, by 100, so it will appear as the first digit of a three digit number.

The thing will will still work in 2006, except I guess you should substitute 1755 for 1756 (or 1754 for 1755 if your birthday is yadda yadda yadda).

elegant proof, zen_tom

Ok we'll take an example with a 30 year old and write it out mathematically
(2x + 5)50 + 1755 - 1975 = 100x + 30
we get the 100x because it will be a three digit number with the first number (the hundreds) as x. So for 2 chocholates it'll be: 200 + your age (30). For 3: 300 + 30 and so on.
Now we expand as zen_tom has done above and obtain
100x + 250 + 1755 - 1975 = 100x + 30
100x + 30 = 100x + 30
x = x

Last November...