Math in Food!

The Delhi Gate of Shaniwarwada in Pune

I am a foodie; I love to eat. I hate studies, especially mathematics.

My elder brother uses my weakness for food as a weapon to make me solve math problems. He gives me a math problem to solve and tells me that if I work it out within an hour, he will take me out to eat in a restaurant.

Of course, he always asks me tricky questions, and I never solve them within the specified time. So, my brother has never had to treat me. But I must admit that working on problems for one hour every day has improved my math skills. I am confident that I will beat my brother at his own game someday.

I solved this problem he asked me the other day but was late by 15 minutes. Here is the problem he wanted me to work out:

As many as 1600 soldiers were deployed to guard a fort. They carried food provisions meant to last them for 60 days. After 15 days, 600 soldiers were called back. How long will the remaining food provisions last for the rest of the soldiers?






Click here for the solution


Some useful links for
your career:


  • Union Public Service Commission - www.upsc.gov.in
  • IIT-Kharagpur - www.iitkgp.ac.in
  • Indian Statistical Institute - www.isical.ac.in
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras - www.iitm.ac.in
  • Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad - www.iimahd.ernet.in
  • Indian Institute of Mass Commission - www.iimc.nic.in
  • IIT Bombay - www.iitb.ac.in
  • Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad - www.ismdhanbad.ac.in
  • Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi - www.bitmesra.ac.in
  • Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training - www.cifnet.nic.in
  • Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (Deemed University) - www.iiita.ac.in
  • Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi - www.cmfri.com
  • Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai - www.tiss.edu