Calculating Age by Chocolate Math
May 20, 2010 by sandrasorayaalzona
How does this happen? I receive this every year.
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH
Don’t tell me your age; you’d probably lie anyway;
but the Cadbury’s Man will know!

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!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it’s fun.
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than 1 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 1760 .
If you haven’t;
add 1759.

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 (2010) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS.
Chocolate Calculator.
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Really cool!
A silly trick to impress children. Now, a real feat would be to come up with the right answer without having access to the needed information (steps 5 and 6; note how much easier the answer can be found based on that information and the current year).
How exactly? Can you or anyone please…?
Call the number of “chocolate times” x, the age y, and assume that the
birthday has already happened (the other case is a trivial variation).
We now have (step by step):
1. x
2. 2x
3. 2x + 5
4. 100x + 250
5. 100x + 2010
6. 100x + 2010 – (2010 – y) = 100x + y
7. Now, with x within the original restrictions and an age < 100 this
is a number as described in the text. Note, however, that when the
age is 100 or greater, the result is faulty.
Compare this to the ordinary calculation of current date – birth date with
a truncation to the year.
Hi michaeleriksson, I was thinking something like this…
after birthday
[x(2)+5]50 + 1760] – y = ?a 3 digit number
before birthday
[x(2)+5]50 + 1759] – y = ?a 3 digit number
1st digit is number of times you want to have chocolate per week = x
next 2 digits is your age which = 2010 – y.
And I still don’t get it. How the 1st digit is predetermined and the next 2 digits are also predetermined. What exactly make them predetermined?
michaeleriksson, I hope you don’t mind the pun, but that was sweet of you. Thanks a lot! =D
This was so awesome and weird at the same time!
I agree
The math is cool and makes sense!
why will it only work this year? cant you change the numbers around to make it every year?
it should be mad to every year u right
that was a nice trick to bad its just childs play
but the chocolate looked good i remember when i learned how to do it the first time i forgot how to do it but i was reminded but its still for kids
Don’t care … must have chocolate … NOW!
Thanks Darryl, this was delicious. : )
This is so stupid. # 6 asks what year you were born and # 5 asks if you’ve had your birthday. That tells how old you are right there without ANY math calcualtions whatsoever!!!
that was pretty cool!
i need chocolate to live:)(: i love chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i wonder if a kid made that up
So much fun!!!!!!!!
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As a substitute teacher, I use this every time I fill in for a math teacher.
It’s AWSOME! I luv it
It’s awesome:)
i love chocolate!!!!!!!
It works in 2012 also not just 2010
it works in 2012 too, but still cool!
Totally Cool!!!! I LOVE it!!
didn’t work for me. Maybe because this is 20112 and I don’t eat chocolate?
this did not work for me . misst bt 2 years.
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