[SeekAndFind]

This isn’t a math problem but a comprehension problem. Should be part of SAT Reading comprehension I guess.

If a farmer had 21 sheep in total, and all but seven died, then the answer to this riddle would be seven, since it states that all but seven have perished. It does not state that “All seven died,” it has that little key word “but” in it that will often throw the riddlee (is there such a word ) off if he or she is not listening to the riddler.

[Aunt Polgara]

If a farmer had 21 sheep in total, and all but seven died, then the answer to this riddle would be seven, since it states that all but seven have perished. It does not state that “All seven died,” it has that little key word “but” in it that will often throw the riddlee (is there such a word ) off if he or she is not listening to the riddler.

Wrong.. he still has 21 sheep, 14 dead ones and 7 live ones. :-)