Math 300

Groupwork

The 12 Days of Christmas

Dr. Wilson

In the Christmas song, "The 12 Days of Christmas", how many total gifts does her true love give to her? The gifts are:

1. A partridge in a pear tree,
2. Two turtle doves,
3. Three french hens,
4. Four calling birds,
5. Five gold rings,
6. Six geese a-laying
7. Seven swans a-swimming,
8. Eight maids a-milking,
9. Nine ladies dancing,
10. Ten lords a-leaping,
11. Eleven pipers piping,
12. Twelve drummers drumming.

There are two ways that people usually do this problem:

1. The number of each type of gift
2. The number of gifts for each of the 12 days of Christmas

Click on the link to the method you would like to see.