Palindromic Number Word Problem

Date: 9/4/95 at 1:3:16
From: Anonymous
Subject: ?

Question:
A palindromic number reads backwards and forwards the same way, e.g. 1221 and 
696.  The number years until the next palindromic calendar is?

(a) 347     (b)237     (c)127   (d)17    (e)6

Date: 9/4/95 at 11:57:0
From: Doctor Ken
Subject: Re: ?

Hello!

Well, first you should try to figure out what the next palindromic year is.
If it starts with 19, then it's going to have to be 1991, which already 
happened, so that can't be it.  So then we have to go with 20, since that 
comes after 19.  What year starts with 20 and is a palindrome?  Once you 
have that, you can figure out by subtraction how many years it is until then.

- Doctor Ken,  The Geometry Forum