Mathematical Conundrums

Conundrum Number 20

The infamous Conundrum Number 20: "The Half-Dozen Dilemma".

A baker has 12 dozen eggs, but only has space for 4 more in the fridge. How many eggs will she have left over?

Will it be 4, or will it be 8? The fate of the world may depend on it.

Conundrum Number 21: The Baker's Dozen Conundrum

Answer: The baker will have 8 eggs left over.

Explanation: Since the baker already has 12 dozen eggs, that's 144 eggs. If she puts 4 more in the fridge, that's 148 eggs. 148 - 144 = 4. The answer, therefore, is 4.

But wait, is this really the correct answer?

Perhaps we should consider that the question is actually asking how many dozens of eggs the baker will have left over? In that case, the answer would be... Conundrum Number 22: The Baker's Dozen Paradox

Or maybe, just maybe, the correct answer is actually 8, but only if you count the eggs in a non-standard base-4 system?

Or perhaps... Conundrum Number 23: The Egg-straordinary Conundrum

But that's all for now. The world is left in a state of mathematical uncertainty...

Mathematical Conundrums