At first glance, this family puzzle seems like a simple counting exercise, but one small detail can easily lead to the wrong answer. Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang have three sons. Each son has one wife, one son, and one sister. So, how many people are in the family altogether? Take a moment to think before choosing your answer!
First, count the parents and their three sons, giving us five people. Next, each of the three sons has a wife, adding three more people. That brings the total to eight. Each son also has one son of his own, adding another three people. We now have 11 people. But we’re not finished yet!
Here’s the trick: every son has one sister. Does that mean we need to count three sisters? Not necessarily! The puzzle never says that each brother has a different sister. All three brothers can share the same sister, meaning we only need to add one more person. This brings the total to 12.
Let’s check the final calculation: two parents, three sons, three wives, three grandsons, and one shared sister. That’s 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 12 people. Therefore, the correct answer is C. 12. The secret to solving this puzzle is paying attention to the wording and avoiding counting the same person more than once. Did you get the right answer on your first try? Share the puzzle with friends and see whether they can spot the trick!