Brainteaser of the week:

A census taker approaches a house and asks the woman who
answers the door,"How many children do you have, and what
are their ages?"

Woman: "I have three children, the product of their ages are
36, the sum of their ages are equal to the address of the
house next door."

The census taker walks next door, comes back and says, "I
need more information."

The woman replies, "I have to go, my oldest child is
sleeping upstairs."

Census taker: "Thank you, I have everything I need."

Question: What are the ages of each of the three children?

This week's BRAIN(s) :
(solver of the teaser)

ALEX SMITH
STIX

The Answer!

The Reason the census taker could not figure out the childrens ages is because,
even with knowing the number on the house next door there were still two
possibilities. The only way that the product could be 36 and still leave two
possibilities is if the sum equals 13. These possibilities being 9+2+2 and
6+6+1. When the home owner stated that her "Oldest" child is sleeping she was
giving ths census taker the fact that there is an "oldest." The childrens ages
are 9,2, &2.