Bill Wolverton and His Family

How to tell the temperature by a cricket's chirping

Mr. L. and Mr. S.,

Here are the directions we just heard:

1) Count the number of chirps per minute.
2) Subtract 40.
3) Divide by four.
4) Add 50.

Briefer but equivalent directions would be:

1) Count the number of chirps per minute.
2) Add 160.
3) Divide by four.

Or, equivalently:

1) Count the number of chirps per minute.
2) Divide by four.
3) Add 40.

P.S. to Mr L. I only hear the show each second or third week. I ocasionally answer a puzzle question, but rarely hear an answer. I do not know if I've won a prize, then. Is there another way to know if we win a prize, other than to hear the next week's show? Thanks.

P.S. to Mr. S. If you have a brother who builds, and a father who works with electricity, I know them. Good guys, both.